


Dizzy on the Comedown

by hellaspookyskeleton



Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: Asshole Sal, Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Harsh Language, Homophobia, Hurt, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Insecurity, Larry is Bi, M/M, Nightmares, Oblivious Sal, Obvious Larry, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sal can be a total sweetheart too oops, Sal is Gay, Slow Burn, protective larry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-07 16:18:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17369252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellaspookyskeleton/pseuds/hellaspookyskeleton
Summary: Sally is a mess, that's for sure.He's fighting a demon summoned by a malicious cult. He's forced to do the unthinkable and finds allies in unimaginable places. He is stretched so thinly he might snap.But all he can think about is kissing his best friend until he's dizzy.





	1. Up and down

**Author's Note:**

> First off, this is my first work. So please be a little gentle when it comes to criticism. I do welcome suggestions/criticism, just be polite and helpful okay? Next up this is my own little mini AU. Sal has both his eyes. Chapter Four never ever happened. (I'm in denial.) Their parents never marry. (although it doesn't matter seeing as they would be /step/ brothers, and not related in any way.) Also, although I love a good pure Sally, that's not him in this fic. He's sarcastic and blunt, and at times apathetic. He still hates violence and all that good jazz, but he will use it if need be. He can be rude to anyone but the gang without meaning to. He is sweet and soft at times, but mostly because of his friends. To me, the trauma Sal went through would have made him distant, and he lets very few people in kinda thing. Oh, and they are teenagers in this. Kinda modern AU too. He still likes ghost hunting and pursuits evil, and that plot idea stays the same mostly in this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It always starts with a dream, doesn't it?

_"Where... Where am I?"_

_He looked around. Nothing looked familiar. The floor beneath him was wet and spongy; it smelled like decaying flesh, which he unfortunately recognized._

_He was moving too, legs working on their own, steadily marching onward to nothingness. "Hello? Can anyone here me?" He called out. Panic rushed through his veins. He struggled against his body, desperately trying to move any other direction. But nothing happened, and nobody came._

_He stopped resisting, only his eyes betrayed any sort of voluntary movement, glancing around wildly. "Please! What's happening?" As if his voice hit a switch, his legs stopped. He was in control again.  He stumbled forward, looking for a sign of where he was. He glanced down, finding it hard to walk still._

_"Oh fuck that's gross!" His shoes were engulfed in a thick, clear membrane. Almost like... Saliva? A noise caused his head to snap up, forgetting the sticky substance._

_Creaaaak._

_A light! At the end of the "tunnel" bright light shined in and fresh air washed over him. He broke out into a sprint, ignoring the squelching of the slime clinging to his feet. As he drew closer, he could make out three things._

_Eyes. Many of them, peering at him._

_Teeth, filtering the light "outside" through them._

_And most importantly, the safety he thought he found seemed to be in the mouth of a monster._

_He screamed._

 

Sal woke up with a gasp, immediately bolting upwards. He panted heavily. Fear and adrenaline were still working its way through his body. Instinctively he grabbed the walkie talkie on his nightstand. It crackled as he turned it on, calling for its brother.

"Sally? What's wrong dude?"

Relief washed over the blue-haired boy instantly, Larry was awake.

"Sal?"

"S-sorry, bad dream. Hope I didn't wake you."

"No, I was already up. Wanna talk about it?"

Sal contemplated this for a moment. His heart had slowed to a steady rate again from the moment his best friend began talking. However, he still felt jittery, but perhaps talking it through would help his mind make sense of what happened.

"Sally Face?"

"Sorry, sure dude, can I come down?" He knew he never needed to ask anymore, but it still felt wrong to go uninvited. "Course man, just grab your key, I'm too lazy to get up and unlock the door." Sally rolled his eyes, unsurprised but nonetheless exasperated. He swiftly grabbed his mask as he decided to leave his hair down and simply clipped on his prosthetic on. He grabbed his key, keycard, and the thick blanket that covered his bed.

Sal walked outside his room, closing the door softly as to not wake his father. He glanced at his dad's door, the light was off. Was he in there sleeping? Or was he at work again? He saw no sign of a note saying the latter was true, but he still quickly scribbled his own just in case.

With that all done, he left his apartment and shuffled down the hallway. Why was it so cold in the winter? Was one heater really too expensive for Mr. Addison? Most residents had bought their own mini heaters, but the hallways stayed as chilled as the outside air. With a huff, he called the elevator. His walkie buzzed to life.

"You comin' buddy?"

"Yeah, just a little slow. Have patience."

"Never, hurry up, I don't want a popsicle for a best friend."

Sal smiled to himself as he stepped into the elevator. Larry had been his best friend all these years, yet it still made him feel so warm to have someone so close with. Humming softly as the elevator shuttled him down the shaft, he thought about his dream again.

It was a little...  Abstract, even for him. Most of the time his dreams had simple themes. Like what he was afraid of, but last time he has checked, he had outgrown his fear of monsters. Anxiety wormed it's way into his body again, but he shook his head to rid himself of it and walked out into the basement. Larry would understand.

He always did.

Hurriedly unlocking the door, he stepped into the warm apartment. Sighing with relief, he shuffled his way into Larry's room, moving as quietly as possible. He didn't want to disturb Lisa, she rarely got sleep as it was.

Sal looked around. Larry was sitting in front of his easel, paints scattered all around him. His dark brown hair tied up into a lazy bun to keep paint away from his precious locks. Much to his surprise, his brows were furrowed in frustration, and a glace at his easel told him there was nothing on it. "Art block?" He asked, sitting on the edge of his mattress. Larry nodded and turned to face him, arms reaching out to entangle him in a hug. "Yeah, it sucks. But hey dude, feeling alright?" Sally nodded. "It's always so much nicer in here, warmer too. Which will never make sense to me." Larry chuckled and released him.

"Ah well, it's a magic spell you see."

"Uh huh. And what spell is that?"

"It's a 'larryisthebest' spell. Much too advance for you I'm afraid."

They stared at each other for a moment.

And then they busted out laughing.

Sal covered his face with an arm, muffling his sound. Larry threw his head back, making no attempt to quiet the laughter leaving his lungs. He heard a sharp knock on the other side of the wall. "Hush boys, it's only 4:00 am!" They both called an apology, feeling guilty.

"Welp, get comfortable, let's see if I can paint this dream of yours to life dude," Larry said. He eased himself onto his bed, back against the wall. Sally nodded and slowly unbuckled his mask. This was their routine. If Sal had a bad dream, he'd come down and talk about it whilst Larry recreated it. He almost always was spot on, it was even a little unnerving at times. But his favorite part was laying his head on his best friends lap, mask off and smiling. It had taken a long time for him to trust him so much, but it was worth it. Larry never was rude or grossed out by his face, it meant a lot to him.

Mask off, the blue-haired boy laid down in his lap, stretching contently. "Sketchbook at the ready?" Sally glanced up, expecting to see him looking forward. But no. He was staring right at him. His face flushed as he met his dark gaze. "Uhh, Larry Face?" As if startled, the brunet looked away, cheeks tinged with pink. "S-sorry, I always forget how good looking you are." Sal snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, sure, all the guys are lookin' to hook up with me. No one understands why I'm single." Sarcasm dripped from his words.

"Shut up, I think you look great. Now, give me some material bro." He quickly retold the nightmare as vividly as it happened. He had an unfortunate talent to remember any dreams he had, bad or good. "You know, now thinking about it, I think I was standing on a tongue?" Larry paused. "Thought you said you were lookin' at the monster?" Sal shrugged. "I was, I think. What has eyes on the inside of its mouth? Maybe I was in between some freaky monster kiss." He chuckled at that thought as his friend scrunched up his face. "Only you could come to that conclusion Sally."

"I am a talented man, thanks for noticing."

That got him a swift flick on the head.

Sally turned his face towards his friend's stomach, yawning at the same time. "Why do you always smell like paints?" He whined, the harsh scent washing over him. "Take a fuckin' guess bro." He laughed again. Was it odd, how easily Larry's voice, his touch, even the smell of him was calming despite his complaints? He brushed his doubt off, he should be happy, to have someone so close. Besides, Sal was anything but normal.

"All jokes aside, thanks, man. I needed this."

He felt a hand on his head, patting him reassuringly.

"Of course dude, anything for you. Now, how does this look?"

He flipped over.

A detailed sketch came into view, perfectly retelling the horror he had felt. The eyes felt like they were looking directly at him again. "Christ Larry, you're too good at this." He felt a sharp pang of anxiety return. Larry quickly threw the sketchbook on his dresser and leaned down to rest his forehead against Sally's. "Sorry bro, don't worry about it, none of my drawings have ever come to life. N' I certainly wouldn't let something _eat_ you."

This calmed him down again, but he still sat up. "I know... C'mon, lets nap before breakfast." Sal was thankful it was a Saturday, they would only be awoken by the smell of Lisa's delicious pancakes. Larry nodded and scooted further along the wall, patting the space beside him. "Sleepin' next to me or?" This wasn't unusual, not for them. Sal often needed something to hang onto after a bad night. And Larry was the perfect size. He curled up beside him, yawning again before curling himself up tight in his blanket. "Night dude," Sal said after properly cocooning himself in his bedding.

"Wait."

"Hm?"

"Do you remember when I bought you that giant teddy bear?"

Sal's cheeks burned. It was supposed to be something for him to sleep with and feel safe. Supposedly anyway. He had felt it like an annoying joke more than anything.

"Do you remember when I said I'd smother you if you brought it up again?"

"Mm, no."

"Too bad, don't be surprised if you wake up as a ghost."

"The best way to go, you better have me on a shelf. I'm a collectible."

Sal laughed again, Larry quickly following. His lungs hurt at this point, only his best friend could get anything more than a good-humored eye roll.

"Shut up Larry, lets sleep."

"Fine fine, night Sally Face."

"Night Larry Face."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd you think? Any ideas for improvement? I hope you all enjoy the soft fluffy boys while it last.


	2. Like a Red Rubber Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE
> 
> Sally is a wild range of emotions, but as always Larry saves the day.

The next morning, Sal woke up to a soft knock on the door.

"Breakfast is ready boys!"

He blinked, eyes adjusting to the sunlit room.

Beside him, Larry sat up and stretched, yawning lazily.

"C'mon Sally, she'll never let us sleep in."

He groaned and followed him, reaching for his prosthetic. Larry was digging through his dresser, presumably for clothes. "You showerin' here or?" Sally shook his head, still fumbling with the last clasp of his mask. "Nah, I'm meeting up with Ash today, I'll need to go upstairs to grab my bag anyways." Larry nodded and finally selected a red Sainty's Falls shirt and a black hoodie. He let out a noise of frustration as he once again messed up on the clasp.

"Need help?"

"Yes, my hands aren't fuckin' working."

Larry set his clothes aside and went to his side, letting out a chuckle. "No wonder, your hair is fucked, dude." He unclipped the part he had managed to do and began running his fingers through his hair. Sal hummed contently, instantly feeling relaxed. "You're gonna put me to sleep again, Larry." He felt him shrug above him. "Sorry, here." With one last comb through, he patted it down and clipped the mask on.

"Thanks-"

The knock on the door came again.

"Boys?"

"Coming!" The called in unison.

Sally was the first one out, noting excitedly the smell of pancakes and eggs. "Just a few minutes dear, finishing up the last of the eggs now!" Lisa said, waving a hand warmly to him. "Thanks, for feeding me." He said taking a seat at the table. "Don't thank me! You're always so helpful around the apartments dear, its the least I could do." She swiftly replied, not allowing another grateful comment out of his mouth.

He smiled from underneath his mask and yawned again. Click! He glanced at the source of the noise, the bathroom door. From it, Larry stood. Still drying his hair with a shirt, (most likely the one he was going to put on,) he was half-naked, water dripping down his chest and hair. Sal rolled his eyes, was he trying to be attractive right now? It was certainly working, a quiet voice in mind said.

Ignoring that though, the blue-haired boy whistled in a playful manner. Larry's eyes lit up with amusement, temporarily forgetting his hair and posing. "Like what you see?" He said with a smirk. Sal snorted. "Show off, put your shirt on, you animal." Larry laughed, contrasting the fake hurt in his eyes.

"How dare you? I model for you exclusively and you treat me like that?" Lisa shook her head in exasperation at her son. "Put on your shirt and come and eat, Larbear." Sal snickered beneath his prosthetic as his best friend groaned, but did as he was told. Lisa placed a plate in front of both of them. "Make sure you eat it all and don't be shy about seconds! Especially you Sally, you're always so thin!"

Sal smiled warmly. "I promise I will if it still hungry, but I honestly eat all the time!" He assured her. She gave him a look of disbelief but said nothing. Suddenly, annoyance filled him. He turned to Larry, who was shoveling food eagerly into his mouth. "All that work to get the clasp on and now I'll have to undo it." Larry facepalmed. Sally cursed his stupidity silently and undid the clip, lifting it enough to eat. Lisa looked amused at their conversation as if it was normal at this point. If Sal was honest, it was.

"So, any plans today?" Lisa asked, glancing at her son. He shook his head, a mouthful of food taking away his ability to talk. She turned to him, eyebrows raised in a questioning manner.

Sal quickly swallowed his food. "Yeah, gonna go hang out with Ash." Lisa looked even more confused. "He's not going with you?" She asked, gesturing at Larry. Sally blinked. He hadn't thought to invite him. "Do you wanna go?" He asked him hastily, feeling slightly guilty. Larry held his gaze suspiciously. "This isn't another photography mission is it?" He had to roll his eyes. Larry hated tagging along when Ash was in a photography craze, she demanded absolute silence and absolute stillness. Easy for Sally, hard for Larry. "I wouldn't dare let you go with me then. No, as far as I know, we're just going to get coffee, and she didn't mention it being a one on one meeting either." Larry brightened up and nodded. "I'll be bored all day otherwise."

"Great!" Feeling more excited about his day, he finished his breakfast. He clasped his prosthetic back on with the precision he lacked this morning. Sally then washed his dish, ignoring Lisa's complaints. "Really, I think I can handle dishes!" Nonetheless, a warm smile was on her face when he had finished and turned.

"You boys act like I can't do a thing on my own."

"Think of it as my way of saying thank you?"

"What did I say about thank you's?"

"Uhm, to say it at every moment possible?"

Sally swiftly dodged around her, expecting the playful cuff that missed him an inch. "Oh, get yourself out of here young man!" Lisa said, eyes filled with exasperation and love. "Yes, ma'am!" He said innocently. He felt a pang of gratitude for the woman, she had never been anything but loving towards him. He was sure if asked, she'd claim him as her own. "Meet there Larry!" He called as he left. The brunet waved his hand acknowledging he heard him.

Leaving the apartment, he raced to the elevator. It was still freezing. Sally bounced on his heels, calling the elevator urgently. Was it just him being prone to the cold? Surely if all the other tenants froze as he did Mr. Addison would have to add heaters. "Cheap old man." He grumbled irritably. Finally! He stepped into the elevator and pressed his floor. He leaned against the wall as it shuttled him upwards.

Another heartbeat passed, and the elevator stopped. Chug, another friend of his, (albeit not nearly as close as Larry, Todd or Ash,) stepped in, hand in hand with his girlfriend, Maple. Sal nodded at them. "Hi, guys." They waved at him. "Hi, Sally Face." Chug said brightly, glancing around. "Where's Larry?" Sally cocked his head. "In his house?" Confusion clearly evident in his tone. "Why?"

Maple quirked an eyebrow. "You two are normally attached at the hips. One never without the other." He shrugged, embarrassed. It was weird, thinking about it like that. The fourth floor opened before him and he was spared of answering her. Breathing a sigh of relief he unlocked his door and stepped inside. A bright yellow note caught his gaze. He picked it up, reading it aloud.

_"Dear Sal,_   
_I gotta go into work early. Be back in the Apartments by 11:00 pm. Pizza in the fridge if I'm not back in time."_

Sal let out a low whistle, he never really liked an empty house. The knowing silence often filled his ears with strange whispers that would fuel a bout of anxiety. He felt the pockets of his pajamas, searching for his phone. Music would help a lot. "Crap."

He had left it in Larry's room.

He stood still, indecision filling his thoughts. Should he go back down and grab it? Or just put up with the lack of noise?

Sally was saved from any sort of decision, a familiar knock beating on his door. He swung it open. Larry looked surprised, hands halfway out of his hoodie as if he had been expecting to had have to wait for more than a split second.

"Did you grab my phone?"

"Yes?"

"You're a lifesaver!"

The blue-haired boy snatched it out of his friend's pockets. Larry still looked confused still, but a mischievous grin grew across his face.

"I got a Lifesaver in my pants if-"

Sal shut the door in his face.

"Aw noo! It was just a joke!" He whined. "I'm sorry! It's cold out here!"

"Say 'Sal is the best at Gario Cart'!"

"Never!"

"Then freeze out there."

"Ugh, you're the best!"

"At what?"

"Gario Cart!"

Sally opened the door. Larry pushed by him with a huff. "You beat me once." He easily made himself at home, laying on the couch and picking up Sal's Gear Boy in his hands. He thought of Maple's words, seeing the truth in them. They really were attached, but instead of the embarrassment he had felt earlier, he only felt warmth at the sight. It was natural for them. Larry's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Why'd you need your phone anyways?"

"Dads not home. You know me."

Larry nodded, understanding immediately. "That sucks, but don't worry bro. Between me and your phone, there won't be a quiet moment." Sal nodded thankfully and turned to his bedroom. Digging through his dresser, he looked for warm clothing.

"Black sweater or blue?" He called to Larry, looking between the selected clothes.

"Black! Can't go wrong with that."

"Blue or red jeans?"

"Blue!"

Sal grabbed his jeans and top, the other necessities in his arms already. "Thanks!" He called, heading to the bathroom to shower. As the door closed, an all too familiar dread began to set in as he undressed. The sudden mood shift left him tensed and biting the inside of his cheek. He began to whisper to himself a mantra, silently praying it worked.

"Don't look in the mirror, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't...-"

He caught a glimpse of himself.

Scars laced his body, harsh pink lining his throat, his arms, even his face.

Especially his face.

Deep slashes formed thickly around his left eye, running down to his mouth. Thick scars sliced through his lips, splitting his bottom lip on the right side. His nose had escaped serious damage, only deep teeth marks on the bridge of it. The right side of his face looked considerably better in comparison. Fainter scars ran up and down, it didn't appear that he had almost been eaten alive.

He felt... Disgust. How could he live like this? How did Larry even come near him, knowing what was beneath?

"Hey, dude! You okay in there?"

Sally tore his gaze away, shaking. "Yeah!" He managed to keep the tremor out of his voice but didn't dare turn back to the mirror. He quickly put on loud metal music, the music putting slight ease to his anxiety. The blue-haired boy stepped into the shower. He hastily scrubbed his body, ignoring the lack of warmth in the cascade of water. It would take much too long to heat up. He washed his hair, trying to escape the bathroom as soon as possible.

Within a few moments, Sal rinsed off any soap and shut the shower off. He faced away from the mirror, he didn't need a panic attack before meeting up with Ash. As he dried off and dressed, he hesitated to put on his mask. He wanted Larry to put his hair up, it was much tidier when he did it. But at the same time, did he really want him to see his face right now?

_Don't be stupid,_ he thought, _he saw your face earlier, you didn't morph into a monster within an hour._ He grabbed a brush, hair ties, and slid his mask underneath his arm, exiting the bathroom.

Larry peaked his head up, eyes bright. "What? No modeling show for me?" His smile quickly slid as he caught Sal's expression. "What's wrong?" He shook his head, not willing to talk about it now. "Nothin', can you do my hair?" Larry's brows furrowed in concern, but he nodded. "Sure dude, come sit down." He gestured to the spot in front of him on the floor.

"Thanks," Sal mumbled, "Can you do those space buns?" He sat on the floor, knees curled to his chest. "Yeah man, I got you." Larry began to comb through his hair with the brush with a gentleness he could never do himself. Every time he brushed his hair he yanked, getting it done as quickly as possible, and if a knot got caught within the bristles, he just kept pulling. Larry however just combed the same spot over and over till it was out, he never pulled. Most likely something he had learned to do after taking care of his own hair so long. Or it could be just Sally himself. Larry was always gentle with him, he had never grew irritated at him or became impatient with him, no matter how frustrating Sal could be. He was fiercely protective and kind to him.

_Why?_ A tiny voice asked. _Why you?_

"Earth to Sally Face, you there?"

Sally blinked, being pulled out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, yes, what's wrong?"

"Nothin' dude, I finished your hair."

Sal reached up and felt the two twin buns in surprised. That was quick.

"Oh, thank you."

He leaned forward and grabbed his mask, clasping it on. When he turned, he could see the worry in his best friends eyes deepen. "You sure you're alright Sal?" He nodded. "Yes, just let me grab my bag and we can go." Sally briskly gathered his things, checking off a mental list. Phone, wallet, Gear boy, headphones, and his journal. He put them all in a black mini backpack, a gift Larry had bought him the previous year. He slipped his blue sneakers on and a pair of gloves, then the bag.

"Don't forget to grab a jacket! I'm not giving up mine this time!"

"Okay!"

He shuffled through his dresser, looking at his selection. Most of them weren't well worn, his father seemed to think this was the perfect gift no matter how many he owned. "There it is." He pulled aside a layer to see his favorite, an old faded hoodie from his first concert. He grabbed it and tied it around his waist.

"You comin'?"

Sally exited his bedroom, closing the door with a soft click. "Yes, yes, don't rush me." He said. "If I don't were always late bro." Larry took a good look at him, what he was checking for Sal couldn't say. "Are you really not going to tell me what's wrong?"

He gritted his teeth harshly and shook his head. "I'll be fine once we get going, c'mon." With that, he took the lead and headed out into the hallway. Larry followed him, but he could sense he wasn't exactly happy about it. Sal locked the door and headed to the elevator, calling it.

"What do you think Ash wants you for?"

"I'm not really sure, but it better be good when its this cold."

He didn't really mean that. She could call him out to hold something for her and he'd still do it happily.

The elevator came, they both stepped inside, an uneasy silence heavy between the both of them.

He wanted to break it, but there wasn't time to dive head first into his problems. It wasn't even anything new.

They rode the elevator down, tension thick in the air. Even when they left the building, the cloud hung over their heads with no sign of leaving. Larry sighed.

"Look, I'm-"

"I'm _fine_!" Sal snapped, the tension taking its toll on him.

Oh no.

He felt Larry flinch beside him, and a wave of guilt crashed down on him. "N-no I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap." He reached over to touch him, feeling relief washing over him when he didn't pull away. He had to tell him now. "I just, I saw my reflection and, a-and it got underneath my skin, I'm sorry." Larry's eyes widened. "That's what's wrong? Sally-"

He shook his head. "We can talk later, we're almost there, and there's no way I'm letting Ash lecture me again. I already feel better letting you know." That was true, but whether it was the tension dissolving or otherwise, he couldn't tell.

Larry wrapped a comforting arm around him. "Should've told me in the first place."

"I'm sorry I didn't."

"Don't be."

Letting a silent sigh out, he relaxed into Larry's embrace, enjoying the warmth. "You're like a heater no matter the season," Sal said, "How is that even possible?" The brunet looked down at him. "I think you're just cold at all times dude, I swear you must've been born in a freezer." Sally snorted in amusement. "Maybe, that'd be a pretty _chill_ way to-"

He felt a playful thump on the back of his head.

"No! No puns!"

They both laughed and turned the corner, the coffee shop was just ahead. Sal was thankful the thick air had disappeared around them in time.

"Look, there's Ash." Larry pointed out, a familiar figure in purple waving eagerly at them. As they drew closer, she ran up to them. "Hi, guys!" She drew them into a hug, squeezing the life out of Sal.

"Ash I can't breathe."

"Oops."

She was still smiling but released them. "I guess since you're so small you got the brunt of it." She said cheekily, whisking away from Sal before he could catch her. "I'm the same size as you!" He called indignantly. He suddenly felt pressure on the top of his head. He looked up. "Yup, she's right, a perfect sized leaning post." Larry was resting his elbow on him.

"If you don't get off of me I'm gonna snap your bones."

"Nah."

Larry quickly retracted his arm as Sal reached out to grab it. He laughed, "Yeah, that's what I thought." Larry snorted.

"I just didn't want you to wear yourself out, I'm made of steel."

"Yeah right."

As they reached the entrance of the coffee shop Larry moved in front of him, politely opening the glass door. "Ladies first." He said, bowing.

"I'm actually going to strangle you."

Larry laughed. He followed Sal in and steered them to the table to the right. Ash and Todd were already sitting there, deeply engrossed in some sort of school work. Larry took the chair to the left, leaving Sally with the one up against the glass. But instead of sitting, he dropped his bag onto the table and began searching for his wallet. "Are you ordering Sally?" Ash asked, pausing her conversation. He nodded, extracting his wallet. "Yeah, you want me to pay for everyone?"

It wasn't a secret that he and Ashley were the best off in terms of money. His dad threw himself into his work, and although Sal wasn't exactly thrilled about it, it did have its benefits when they all went to eat or get drinks. Todd's parents didn't want to "ruin" their child by giving him access to unmonitored materialistic choices. And poor Lisa never got paid enough to give Larry much. "Nah, I already got it all for everyone," She passed him the money, shushing the other boys when they gave their thanks sheepishly. "Cool, what does everyone want?" Sal asked. "Just coffee," Todd said. "Hot cocoa, please," Ash added brightly, looking delighted the thought of the warm chocolate drink. "I'll second that, the hot chocolate here is fuckin' great." Sally rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"It could be shit and you would still drink it, you have a hot chocolate addiction dude."

"No, I don't!"

Sal let out a disbelieving "mhmm" and walked up to the register, patiently waiting for someone to come back to the counter. "Hello! Welcome to Heartstucks-...!" A cheery man had appeared from the back. Sal had a feeling he knew what caused him to pause. He stared at his mask, shocked.

He felt a spark of fury. Did this guy know no manners?

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." He jeered, sarcasm lacing his irritated tone.

He jumped, shaking slightly. "U-um, what would y-you like to order s-sir?"

"Three large hot chocolates and a large coffee, please." He said pleasantly as if the previous event didn't transpire.

"Right a-away. That'll be eighteen sixty-seven, sir, your order n-number is thirty-one."

He paid, grabbed his change, and turned to sit with his friends.

As he sat, all eyes turned to him.

"Damn Sally, what did you say to freak him like that?" Ash asked. Sal scoffed, he didn't even have to say anything to scare the man. "He was staring at me like I was some sort of Halloween prop. So I told him to take a picture. Unfortunately, he didn't seem too keen to get my autograph." The whole table erupted into laughter.

"Sal you sarcastic shit." Larry choked out after a few moments. "That's me alright," Sally said, thoroughly pleased they had appreciated his joke so much. Within a few moments, they had all calmed down. He looked up, hearing the order number. That was quick. Larry stood up first, however, shaking his head. "No way are you going up there again, just let me get them." Sal nodded gratefully. He wasn't eager to talk to the cashier again. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Me? Stupid? Never."

Sal snorted, watching him walk off. "So, how much have you saved up Sally?" His attention shifted to Todd. The boys had been saving up for a few months now, planning to all get a place together after high school. It was expensive, finding somewhere big enough, but it would be worth it. Todd had been doing odd jobs when the opportunity presented itself, like fixing computers. His boyfriend, Neil, had been working at a local pet store. Sal himself had just been putting money aside from his allowance. "Uhh, I think I've got about two hundred now." To be honest, he had no idea, but he was sure it was near that number.

"Perfect! If we keep saving at this rate we should easily be able to find somewhere." Todd exclaimed, scribbling something on a notepad in his lap. Ash shot them saddened look. "I wish I could stay here, with you guys." Larry had returned, setting everyone's respective drinks in front of them. He must've heard her, giving her a sympathetic look. "Don't be sad Ash, we all want you to stay, but your dreams are more important! Being a journalist means you'll have to travel all over. Think of it as your first taste of journalism."

Both Sal and Todd nodded, agreeing with him. Ash planned to go out of state to an Ivy League College, leaving the little town of Nockfell and her friends behind. Ash smiled brightly at Larry's words. "I guess you're right, but I'll come back to visit whenever I can!" She declared.

"You better, or Todd might go crazy with us two idiots." Sal chuckled, amused by the indignant look Larry gave him. Soon the conversation turned to school, and Sally tuned out, sipping his hot chocolate occasionally. He watched the other tables looking for familiar faces. Most interestingly, he spotted Travis. The blonde boy had been his bully for as long as he had lived in Nockfell. Sal only felt pity for him though. Travis constantly had bruises of some sort on his body, and it never seemed like it was another kid at school. He figured it must be someone at home, but there wasn't much Sal could do for him. Especially when he hated the blue-haired boy's guts. Suddenly, he caught his gaze. Travis seemed shocked for a moment before his face contorted into a scowl. Sally quirked an eyebrow underneath his mask but looked away.

"Sal, what do you think?"

Larry's voice snapped him back into the conversation. "Uhh..." He winced, was he missing something important? Larry turned back to Ash smugly. "Told you he wasn't listenin'." Ash pouted. "Hmph. Sally, 80's rock or modern rock?"

Sal blinked. How did they end up on this topic?

"Uhhhh fuck, 80's I guess."

Larry pumped his fist in the air.

"Told you!"

Ash shook her head in disappointment. "Why do I hang out with hipsters? Next, you'll be telling me you prefer black and white movies."

Sal snorted. "Hypocrite, you're wearing a 90's choker and use a Polaroid camera." Ash threw him a scornful look, but her tone was playful. "Shut up, it's different."

"Make me." He challenged, a fake innocent look crossing his face.

She leaned in close and batted her eyelashes at him sweetly. "Are you sure about that?"

Sal inched away. "Nevermind, I think I remembered why I'm gay."

That earned him a sharp blow upside his head.

"Ow!" He said ruefully as Ash stood up. "It was a joke!" He rubbed the stinging spot. Todd and Larry both shook with laughter. Ash threw her cup away, glancing at a watch on her wrist.

"Shit! I gotta go! I'm supposed to be home in ten minutes to watch Ben!" She waved a frantic goodbye and rushed out the door.

The boys stared at where she had been just a moment before, startled. "Well," Sal started, "I guess let's go home?" Larry shrugged and stood up, obviously agreeing. Todd, however, shook his head. "Actually, I'm going to Neil's place." Sally nodded, he should have known. "Kay dude, be safe on your way," Larry said.

"I will, bye guys."

Sal and Larry waved, grabbed their things, and left the shop, falling into a comfortable silence. The blue-haired boy drew close to the taller brunet, glad of the warmth he emitted. Larry seemed happy, a light pink dusting his face. He scratched the back of his head and began to speak. "Sally, do you ever-?" Sharp footsteps behind them cut him off. Had Todd changed his mind? He only glimpsed a second of blonde hair-

Scalding black liquid splashed down his face and back, running down his hair into his eyes and sweater.

He shrieked.

Desperately trying to get the burning coffee out of his eyes, rubbed them through the holes of his prosthetic. He could only hear the world around him.

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with your head Travis?!"

" _Mine_? You two are the pair of faggots, not me!"

The sound of skin hitting a brick wall reverberated in the air.

"Larry!" Sal cried. He couldn't hurt Travis here! "Let him go!" He had finally got the burning in his eyes to subside to a dull sting. He saw Larry holding Travis up against the wall by his shirt. "Are you kidding?! He just dumped a fuckin' drink on your head!"

"I don't care! Drop him!"

Larry swore under his breath and complied, dropping Travis quite literally. He landed with a harsh thump. He laid there, looking up at Sal with an unreadable expression, but made no attempt to move. His blood boiled, growing hotter every moment, what the fuck was he doing?

"What the hell? Do you want him to kick your ass? Get the fuck outta here!" He hissed.

Travis scrambled to his feet and took off.

Larry was immediately by his side, worry gleaming in his deep brown eyes. "Are you okay?" Sal shook his head. His skin felt like it was on fire and frozen at the same time, and his eyes were still blurry. He was shivering, his wet clothes sticking to him. Larry cursed under his breath again and led him into the nearest store, a convenience store to be exact. A short woman looked up from her phone behind the counter, startled. She eyed the boys nervously as they headed towards the restrooms. "Excuse me, but the restrooms are only for customers..."

She trailed off meekly as Larry stared at her. "Uh, nevermind, I can make an exception."

Larry let out a satisfied noise and opened the door to the men's room. Sal only hesitated for a moment, swiftly ducking into the closest stall to avoid the mirrors.

Sal shivered and began pulling off his sweater. He wasn't sure if it was colder or warmer with the wet clothing gone.

"Here."

From above the stall, he spotted Larry's hand holding a wet paper towel. He took it gratefully, relishing the icy coolness against his stinging burns. He slowly wiped the sticky coffee off of his skin. "Stupid fuckin' Travis." He sighed.

"You should've let me smash him into a pulp."

"You'd go to jail if I had, then I'd be fucked."

Larry didn't make a noise, and he took that as a sign that he saw the sense in Sal's words.

"You feel better now?"

"My eyes are still fucked up."

"Come rinse them."

Sal's heart missed a beat. How could he? He'd have to see his face again then. Hadn't he already had enough stress today?

"Sally?"

He swallowed, shame burning in his skin. Imagine being afraid of a mirror.

"Dude? You're worrying me."

"I don't wanna see the mirror." He forced out, voice quivering. He heard Larry step closer to his stall. "Fuck, I'm sorry dude, I forgot, gimme your shirt." Sal, albeit perplexed, threw his sweater over the door.

"Annnd, there. You can come out now."

The blue-haired boy nervously unlocked the door and looked out. His top was covering the mirror completely. Sal looked up at Larry, overwhelmed with appreciation for him. Larry glanced away, caught off guard.

"Don't give me that look man, just get the coffee out of your eyes." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. Sal began splashing water into his eyes, a soft smile on his lips. He could feel Larry hovering over him, checking his burns. They were sore and angry, but he didn't think they were serious. Once he was done, he looked and blinked. Much better.

He turned back to the stall, grabbing his discarded jacket. He frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"My hoodie got wet too, fuck."

"You can wear mine dude."

Sal looked back at him, frown deepening. "You'll freeze then!" Larry rolled his eyes. "I sleep with your ass every other night, I don't think a little air will kill me." Still, Sal paused for a moment, feeling guilty but all the same time eager. He really enjoyed Larry's hoodie, it was three sizes too big and extremely soft.

"Fine, I'm sorry though."

"Last time I checked you didn't tell Travis to dump coffee on you. Don't apologize."

Larry pulled his hoodie off and handed it over, straightening out his Sainty's Falls shirt. Sal quickly put it on. Delighted, he swung the extra long sleeves in a circle.

"Haha, look! Floppy arms!"

He looked up, a childish grin on his face. Larry appeared to be having a meltdown, head in his hands and now he was completely red. "You're too fuckin' cute." He mumbled, but it fell unheard as Sal worked on rinsing his mask. He briskly washed any coffee off and dried his prosthetic. "Can you put it on? My hands are still a bit shaky."

Sal held his mask in place while Larry clasped it in place. He hummed a thankful noise and took his sweater off the mirror and stuffed it in his bag. He also checked on his Gear boy, making sure it didn't get wet. He put his wet jacket in and zipped it up.

"Ready?" He asked brightly.

Larry nodded and walked out, Sally tagging behind him. As they walked out of the store, he happily walked beside his best friend. "You sure you aren't cold?" Larry shook his head. "I'm fine, especially when you look way happier."

"You know how much I like big jackets! Yours is the best too, it's always warm like you." Sally chirped unabashedly. "I thought today was gonna suck, but once again you saved the day two days in a row. Thank you so much." He said, wholeheartedly.

Larry swore he was going to have a heart attack.

"Hey, do you think we can go visit Megan? I haven't talked to her in a few days." Sal asked, oblivious to Larry's condition. The brunet managed to nod, swallowing thickly before daring to speak. "Sure dude, why not?" Sally's eyes lit up, and he cheered. He walked at a quicker pace, eager to visit his ghostly friend. Larry gave a silent sigh, heart melting.

Sally was going to be the death of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of this chapter is just setting up relationships and the setting of the story, so I'm really sorry if its a bit boring! I tried to add a bunch of fluff to compensate, also because I couldn't help myself. What do you guys think?


	3. You're Always Back and Forth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sal has many thoughts, some dark, but mostly gay.

It didn't take long for the pair to make their way into the apartments and onto the fourth floor. Sally threw on a gray sweatshirt and reluctantly handed back Larry's hoodie. He tossed his soggy clothes into a laundry basket.

He pulled out his Gear Boy and pocketed his phone. The blue-haired boy glanced at Larry.

"Ready?"

"Of course bro."

Sal nodded in response and they set off. "How many times do you think we ride this elevator in a day?" He joked, calling it for the millionth time that day. Larry chuckled. "We're probably the reason it broke last month." He laughed, remembering the incident.

They stepped into the elevator and pressed the 5th floor. "I don't think that was us. Remember who got caught in there?" Sal asked, grinning beneath his mask. "Maple and Chug were using it to _make out_. At of all the places to be left alone in the Apartments too." Larry laughed louder, obviously recalling the memory now. "Yeah! Oh man, I can't believe I forgot, they wouldn't look at any of us for a week!"

The boys stepped out into the hall as the elevator came to a halt. The smiles they wore slipped off their face as they pushed open the 504 door, eyes blinking in the gloomy lighting. "Is it me or is it darker in here than normal?" Larry questioned. The room was bitterly cold, even for winter time. Shadows flitted in and out of the corners of his vision. The only word he could find to describe the room was ' _contaminated_.' Sal's eyes were wide with alarm when he replied.

"Somethings not right."

Larry stared at him, expecting an elaboration for his cryptic words. Sal only continued forward, hesitantly gripping the bathroom doorknob. A weird feeling of anxiety sent his heart drumming loudly in his ears. He swung it open.

Nothing.

He let out a silent breath of relief he hadn't know he was holding. The room was empty, but the strange air still hung heavily, even if he found no reason for it. Larry pushed past him gently, looking around. "Looks okay... Are you here Megan?" He called for the sweet-tempered child. But nobody came.

"Megan, it's just us, don't be afraid." Sally coaxed, his heart slowly sinking. He fumbled with the Gear Boy for a moment, turning it on.

He charged it up, the room glowed green from the weak electricity shooting out of it. His gut twisted when no sign of the purple-haired ghost appeared. Larry put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't freak out dude, maybe she's off playing with her mom or somethin', we can try again tomorrow." Sal nodded, he knew Larry was thinking rationally, but the room screamed at him, urging him to just _know_ something he didn't.

"Let's get out of here, this place is giving off weird vibes."

The brunet's voice snapped him back to reality. He had the sudden instinct to flee safety as quickly as humanly possible. "Right, let's go." Sally hurriedly left the apartment, Larry right on his heels.

Even as the door closed behind them, the paranoia, the anxiety, the _shadows_ still clogged his mind. It was as if the sun had forgotten to show up after a desperately bleak winter. Finding the gaze of his friends, he could see the same feelings weren't reflected in eyes. He took a few shaky breaths, trying to push the heavy darkness away.

"That was fucked up dude, I hope Megan is okay, where ever she is," Sal said. Larry nodded, leading them down the hallway. "I'm sure she is, not much can exactly hurt her anymore." The blue-haired boy had to weakly chuckle at that, he wasn't wrong after all. "Wanna come down to my place and chill?" He knew Larry was trying to mellow him out, with his anxiety flaring up all morning. Sally smiled softly beneath his mask. "Yeah man, can we order pizza?" They stepped out into the basement, and Sal blinked. He hadn't even realized they had called the elevator.

"Course we can, I'm starving anyways." Larry grinned at the thought of food, and he had to laugh. "We had breakfast a few hours ago!"

"A few hours too long if you ask me."

Sal shook his head in mock disappointment as they entered the house. There was no sign of Lisa, she was most likely off fixing something that needed replacing. He pushed his way into Larry's room and collapsed on his bed.

"I'm dead."

"Move your dead ass over."

Sal rolled over, making an annoyed but playful noise.

"You're supposed to _respect_ the dead."

Larry rolled his eyes, but a smile glowed on his face nonetheless.

"The dead aren't _supposed_ to be talking either Sally."

Sal snorted and stretched. He felt his own stomach rumble, and he remembered the pizza.

"Larry, can you order the pizza? I'll pay."

"Yeah, sure dude."

He hummed his thanks and let his mind wander. He thought about Megan. No matter what Larry told him, he knew something was wrong.  She never hid from him, even when she was off playing. That room felt _corrupted_. He briefly thought about Red Eyes, but quickly shoved at the thought. Red Eyes had been gone for years and the cult hadn't shown any sign of still existing ever since Mrs. Packerton had been killed. It simply couldn't be that. He tried to ignore the growing dread in his belly and looked around.

Larry's room was beautifully chaotic if he had to describe it. Paints and brushes were scattered in every conceivable spot, mugs full of dirty paint water strewn about alongside them. He smiled fondly as he spotted the cup he had given Larry the first year they met. It was pure white with polka dots that he had painted on, and in bright yellow read "PAINT WATER". It was supposed to remind Larry when he had nearly choked from confusing his tea with his dirty water for the millionth time. Sal's blue gaze flitted away, now admiring the posters hanging all around the room. An electric guitar leaned against the wall, candy apple red and calling to him. He mused the thought of getting up and playing it, but he decided against it in the end.

The smell of smoke made his thoughts center on the brunet in front of him. Sal, despite the fact he would never admit it, he found Larry incredibly attractive. His dark hair was messy and long, but it framed his face oh so perfectly. His eyes were heavily lidded as he inhaled a drag of his cigarette, only the darkest center of bronze could be seen. His nose was strong, and a bit long, but Sal adored it just the same. Paired with his tooth gap and lanky body, he thought Larry was badass and somehow extraordinarily adorable all at the time same time.

But he'd never admit that, at least not like in such detail. It was a little weird, but Sal just blamed it on his affection for his friend. After all, he was pretty sure Larry thought he was okay-looking. Which, in Sal's book, was about as good as he would get.

The smell of smoke hit him harshly again, he almost began to crave a cigarette himself-

Wait.

"Larry!"

Sally jumped up as fast as lightning and tugged the cigarette out of his hands.

"We both promised to quit!"

They both smoked quite often during 10th and 11th grade, but once Larry began to develop an insatiable cough, Sally had panicked and begged him to quit smoking. Larry agreed begrudgingly, and he had given it up alongside him. Sal rubbed out the cigarette so furiously it snapped in half.

"Hey! You just wasted a perfectly good cigarette!"

"You're wasting a pair of perfectly good lungs!"

When Larry rolled his eyes, Sal put his hands on his hips, about to go in full lecture mode. Apparently, the brunet had recognized the warning signs and held up his hands in defeat.

"Chill out Mom, I'm sorry okay? It's just occasional now, or otherwise, I'd be hackin' up my chest again."

He frowned. "Are you stressed about something then?"

"Yeah, you."

Sally flinched as if he had been struck.

"W-wait! Fuck that's not what I meant! I just, you're always so panicked about everything, like your face and stuff and I get worried about you."

Larry anxiously searched his friend's gaze, fearing he had seriously hurt his feelings.

"I'm sorry I stress you out." Sally murmured, looking anywhere but at Larry.

"No, dude, please. I just get worried you'll do something dumb and I won't even have someone to worry about anymore. I can't imagine goin' more than a week without seeing you and your cute face, much less a lifetime."

Larry was now standing over him, his gaze intense as he urged Sally to understand. One arm was wrapped around him, drawing him closer, and the other was on his neck as if to soothe him.

"I d-don't want to leave Larry, not any t-time soon either." He stammered, red coloring his face beneath his prosthetic.

"I won't worry then Sally." He said softly as if the discussion was over so easily. Neither made any attempt to move away. On the contrary, he was pretty sure Larry's grip on him tightened, not that he minded, but now what?

Sally was trying to find any other word to describe the gesture, he really was. But the same thought repeatedly wormed its way back into his mind.

This was romantic as fuck.

"Sal..." Larry began, as if suddenly hesitant to speak. "Do you...-"

His phone began to ring.

The brunet looked torn between answering and... _something else_. Sal didn't really know what that was but he wasn't sure he cared right now.

Larry chose to answer, but Sally swore he could hear every known curse spill out underneath his breath as he picked it up.

"Yeah, okay, yeah, be right up."

Larry tossed his phone back down, looking frustrated. "Its the pizza dude. He's upstairs."

Sal pulled out his wallet shakily, handing over 25 dollars. "Uh, anything e-extra is the tip." He said, failing to keep his voice steady. Larry took the money, but his eyes remained locked onto him. What was he looking for?

The blue-haired boy glanced away, heart hammering in his ears.

Larry seemed reluctant to leave, but he closed the door behind him after a few moments.

Sally felt strangely disappointed.

With a heavy sigh, he plopped into an orange bean bag beside his guitar. What did all of that even mean? He had called his face _cute_. Remembering the reflection he had seen in the mirror, he begged to differ. On the other hand, why would Larry lie to him?  A breath of confidence swirled in his head, and he giggled to himself. He placed his hands over the holes in his mask, leaning back. The way Larry held him made him feel strange, especially when he thought about it in a romantic sense.

But it probably wasn't that way, he conceded. Larry knew Sally was touch-starved. He adored contact with any of his close friends, whether it was locking arms with Ash, or throwing his legs over Todd's lap, or even asking Larry to play with his hair. "We've been sleeping in the same fuckin' bed since Middle School for Christ's sake." He groaned, feeling incredibly stupid now.

He felt worse when the disappointment tightened its grip on him.

"I'm back!" Larry called, using his hip to bump the door open. He handed over Sal's pizza, placing it on his lap before sliding down on the floor with a soft thump.

"Thanks, man."

"No problem, free pizza is the best pizza."

"Free?"

"Well, I certainly didn't pay for it."

Sal shook his head while Larry laughed. His eyes were bright but held none the same intensity as before. He had been right, the brunet had been trying to comfort him.

He pulled off his mask, mentally shaking off his despondent feelings. He wasn't really sure why they stirred up so much in the first place anyways, that was his best friend and nothing more.

Sal took a bite from the pizza, his stomach was definitely happy about getting some food finally.

"So, what're you thinkin' about?" Larry asked.

Sally nearly choked on his pizza. He couldn't tell him the truth!

"Mmh, playing my guitar?" He said cautiously, calling out the first thing that was in his line of sight.

Larry looked ecstatic. "Really? Dude you've got to let me sketch you!" He opened his mouth a little helplessly as the taller boy dived for his sketchbook, halfway across the room.

"Can I?"

"Aah, sure," He said before a better idea lit up in his head, "Actually, only if you promise no more stress smoking."

Larry worried his lip sheepishly. "Of course dude, I'm sorry about that, I'll talk to someone for now on." Within a few moments however, he returned to twitching excitedly.

"What song are you going to play?"

Sal finished his slice of pizza and tossed the crust back in the box before answering. "Mmh, I don't have my Journal so it'll probably be something older." The notebook was in his bag upstairs.

He dried the grease on his hands on his pants and put the guitar in his lap. He set up the AMP and made sure everything was connected, but something still didn't feel right. "Oh, right." He undid his hair, taking down the space buns and running his fingers through his hair. Sal missed the way Larry stared at him and his messy hair.

He strummed the guitar experimentally and let out a pleased hum when it sounded perfect. Sally wondered what to play. Metal was out of the question, it strained his voice far too much for his liking. Not that he didn't still give himself to a good Sainty's Fall song, he just preferred to perform a different genre. Alternative Rock was pretty good, and it'd be easy enough in terms of him being the only person playing. "What to play..." He mumbled again, racking his brain for something he knew by heart.

"Oh! Okay, I know what I can play, you ready?"

Larry looked as if he were startled, but he picked up a pencil and stared determinedly at Sally. They both nodded.

Sal began to make a mental beat inside his head, slightly tapping his foot alongside it. As he began to play the first few notes, he could tell the music was strained. Megan and Larry were weighing heavily in his mind. He took a deep breath to steel himself, this would help him relax.

_"Any day I think I'm gonna break now."_

As the words started to leave his mouth, he calmed and the music grew more natural.

 _"I'm hearin' voices in my head,_  
_And everything they said,_  
_It's never making any sense."_

 _"I've got a burning in my heart,_  
_It's tearing me apart,_  
_Somebody call the doctor!"_

His pace kicked up as he led into the pre-chorus.

 _"Hey, I think I'm losin' my mind now,_  
_Havin' trouble findin' a way out,_  
_Shined so bright this star's gonna burn out,_  
_I take and don't know how to give."_

In the slight pause the song had, he glanced up at Larry. He expected to see him sketching as intended, but instead, the pencil laid flat on paper. A warm wave of satisfaction covered him as he realized Larry was absorbed into the music.

 _"You know I never mean well,_  
_I can't help but help myself,_  
_Been placed right under the spell,_  
_The mirror shows somebody else!"_

 _"Fat stacks and hybrid cars,_  
_They don't take you very far,_  
_Branded with dollar sign-shaped scars,_  
_We're in a special kind of hell."_

He suddenly wished he had a drummer of some sort, and he briefly wondered if Larry would make a good one. He certainly looked like it.

_"Any day I think I'm gonna break now."_

_"It's like a monster in the night,_  
_It's givin' me a fright,_  
_I'm battling a gluten-free fight."_

 _"Is it a city or a sin?_  
_Oh when did I begin?_  
_Somebody call the doctor!"_

He was really getting into this, his heart seemed to drum alongside the music, and he certainly didn't complain about the struggle in his mind easing.

 _"Hey, I think I'm losin' my mind now,_  
_Havin' trouble findin' a way out,_  
_Shined so bright this star's gonna burn out,_  
_I take and don't know how to give."_

 _"You know I never mean well,_  
_I can't help but help myself,_  
_Been placed right under the spell,_  
_The mirror shows somebody else!"_

 _"Fat stacks and hybrid cars,_  
_They don't take you very far,_  
_Branded with dollar sign-shaped scars,_  
_We're in a special kind of hell."_

He took a deep breath as the tempo slowed, starting to feel that familiar slight strain on his lungs and throat. It wasn't nearly as bad as trying to play Metal though.

 _"Learning how to sink before I take the dive to swim,_  
_A map that only shows me where I am not where I've been,_  
_The California sun incinerated who I am!"_

 _"You know I never mean well,_  
_I can't help but help myself,_  
_Been placed right under the spell,_  
_The mirror shows somebody else!"_

 _"Fat stacks and hybrid cars,_  
_They don't take you very far,_  
_Branded with dollar sign-shaped scars,_  
_We're in a special kind of hell."_

 _You know I never mean well,_  
_I can't help but help myself,_  
_Been placed right under the spell,_  
_The mirror shows somebody else!"_

 _"Fat stacks and hybrid cars,_  
_They don't take you very far,_  
_Branded with dollar sign-shaped scars,_  
_We're in a special kind of hell."_

 _"Any day I think I'm gonna break now."_  
_"Any day I think I'm gonna break now."_

As the song finished, a rush of pleasure coursed through him. Sally had felt pretty fucking badass, and the way Larry was staring at him did nothing to contradict it. He rubbed sweat off his flushed forehead, not realizing how much effort he had put in.

"So, how'd that drawing come out?" Sal smirked, already knowing the answer.

Larry looked crestfallen when he saw he had forgotten to do anything but stare at Sal. The blue-haired boy sat down beside him, feeling bad. "Don't look so sad! My face isn't goin' anywhere any time soon." He promised. The brunet immediately brightened.

"Does that mean I can draw you still?"

"You can do pretty much anything as long as you stop lookin' like that."

Larry grinned again, that loveable, immature grin he had.

 _"Anything?_ I can-"

Sal shoved him lightly, tips of his ears going red. Of course he would take it there.

"Shut the hell up, you just lost your chance."

Larry laughed, shoulders shaking. He knew very well Sally didn't mean that a damn bit. They both grabbed a slice of pizza and ate in a comfortable silence.

Sal glanced up towards the stairs that led out of the apartment to the outside world. He found that even in his own little slice of happiness, that the lead-weighted sense of darkness from 504 hadn't left his mind still. Tomorrow filled his stomach with dread, as if everything was going to change in one night. He was only tempted to say something to Larry for a split second. The brunet looked so content, a lop-sided smile and warm eyes, he just couldn't possibly ruin that for him.

Sal leaned into Larry, starting a soft conversation with him. If everything was going to change tomorrow,

Well,

He was determined to enjoy the night with him then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own, nor write the song Sal sings, its made by Nathan Sharp (aka natewantstobattle) I definitely recommend checking it out! It reminds me of Sal in a way, so that's why I used it, not to mention I don't listen to metal.
> 
> I loved writing this chapter. It was so much fun! Now that Sal is getting his Gay Thoughts going, somethings gotta mess it all up right? The next chapter is school, what do you think is gonna happen?? What was Larry going to say to Sally?? How many times is he going to be interrupted??
> 
> Also, does anyone else love the idea of Larry being a drummer? He just screams it to me, but in this AU he's still a good art boy.
> 
> Thank everyone so much for leaving such sweet comments, they've really helped with motivating me and pumping out these chapters as fast as I can!


	4. Like the Clock on the Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: gore, homophobia
> 
> Sal has the second worst day of his life.

Sal despised vomiting.

"There you go, Sally, let it all out."

For the last hour, Sal had been bent over a toilet throwing up his entire stomach contents and more. At first, he thought it was the paranoia he had about what was going to happen today, but now he was sure this was the thing he dreaded. Especially when the vomit turned black. It had started with Lisa's dinner but once that had run out his body seemed to think it had to supply something else. Not that he had a fucking clue what the inky substance was. It was like something had _infected_ him.

Larry rubbed his back as he heaved again, black spewing forth. The poor brunet had been up alongside him, holding back his hair and soothing him. He looked about ready to panic and to call an ambulance at the same time.

"S'okay, I'm okay."

Sal slumped forward, head resting on his arm as he fought the urge to gag again. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the storm in his stomach.

"Dude, nothin' about this is okay. There's no way you had this much shit in your stomach, and you didn't even eat anythin' black."

He glanced at Larry, briefly wondering if he should mention the nightmare that woke him in the first place. If you could call it that. He had been in a dark box, completely void of any light. It wasn't frightening, it wasn't even a nightmare really.

It was simply nothing.

But it reminded him of the dark substance he had be hurling up for the past hour.

"Dude, talk to me. I'm seriously 'bout to call the hospital-"

"No! Please!"

The blue-haired boy desperately stared up at Larry, begging him not to. He began to shake violently, only to cause him to vomit once again. Larry immediately backpedaled. "Okay! Calm down man, you're shakin' yourself up. At least stay home or something!" Sal shook his head as the wave of nausea passed again.

"No, s'fine, really, it's over now I think..." He had never felt so exhausted before, sweat dripped down his forehead from the effort he had exerted. Larry rubbed his back again, and he relished the cool touch through the fabric of his shirt.

"This fucked up dude, I really think you should stay home." As Sally pulled away from the toilet, flushing away the bile, Larry pulled him to his chest. If he had even an ounce of energy he might've blushed. "I'm fine, a good shower and clean clothes, I'll be a whole new person." He joked weakly. Larry didn't smile.

Sal sighed and pulled away. "I'm borrowin' some of your clothes." It wasn't a question, but it didn't need to be. He rummaged through Larry's dresser, searching for something that'd fit decently. He found a white tank top, definitely Larry's seeing as the armholes would expose a good portion of his ribs. He kept searching, setting aside the shirt.

"Larry fuckin' Johnson."

The taller boy peeked his head from the bathroom, toothbrush in his mouth. "Yeah?"

Sal held up a black crop top.

"I've been lookin' for this for a _year_. Why the fuck do you have it?"

"I thought it was mine from forever ago."

"This would've fit your _leg_ last year."

Sal was pleased when he got a laugh from the brunet. He hated seeing the worry in his eyes. "Okay okay, maybe I'm not the brightest sometimes."

He snorted and grabbed both shirts, the black top would cover his ribs, and as long as he wore a jacket on the way to school he wouldn't be too cold. He collected his pants from yesterday and shuffled into the bathroom again. He was relieved to see Larry blocking the mirror for him with an old towel.

"I can shower here, right?"

"Duh, I took mine last night, remember?"

Sal picked up his toothbrush and applied the toothpaste. "Just checkin'."

As soon as the minty taste hit his tongue, he gagged. Not much came up, thankfully, but he still had to spit the fluid into the sink. He took a deep breath and tried again, suppressing the desire to heave. Larry glanced at the black spit, his eyes battling between irritation and fear.

"Just stay here, you know my mom won't mind. Please, Sally."

He paused. "Larry, I know I look it but I'm not that fragile. I need to be at school."

"Why?"

Sal shrugged, rinsing his mouth. "I dunno. It's like a gut feeling."

Larry looked incredibly frustrated. "You mean the gut that's been throwing up shit for the last hour?" Once the blue-haired boy turned away from the mirror, Larry stood up and left, shutting the door harshly.

Sal blinked. He'd have to apologize, but he had to be at school. Something was going to happen. Still, he hoped the vomiting was the worse of his day. He quickly jumped into the shower, relaxing in the warm water. The Johnson's shower always seemed to have hot water miraculously. He heard a sharp knock at the door.

"Hurry up, I don't wanna be late."

"I just fuckin' got in dude, stop riding my ass man."

Sal sighed and sped up his shower, within a few minutes he stepped out and dried himself off. He haphazardly threw his clothes on and exited the bathroom.

"Think we got enough time to brush my hair?" Sarcasm burned in his voice. He wasn't sure why he was letting himself get drawn into this argument. It wasn't exactly the first time Larry fussed over him, but it was rare to see him get _angry_ about it.

"I guess, sit down."

The brunet was pacing back and forth, brows permanently locked together. His hands kept twitching and his eyes wouldn't rest in one particular spot.

Oh.

_Oh._

"Larry, sit down first."

"What? Why?"

"Let me do your hair first."

"Sal-"

"Just sit down for god's sake."

Larry sat down on the floor, sighing heavily. Sal hummed as he grabbed a brush, using the bed to sit above him. He slowly began combing out the knots and straightening it out. The taller boy visibly relaxed.

"I'm sorry for being stubborn, but don't freak out okay? I'm sure there's a perfectly normal reason. Other than nausea, there are no symptoms. Not a fever, not a headache, what kind of sickness down that?"

"I don't know! I worry about you so much man, yesterday I saw your journal-"

Sal nearly choked.

"You did _what_?"

Larry winced. That was obviously not the way he planned on telling him. "It fell and it was on the latest page. I'm sorry-"

"Is that all you read?"

"Yes?"

Sal relaxed, gently brushing out another knot.

"First off, use your big boy words and ask me about it instead of panicking. If you had talked to me, I could have told you the purpose of the stupid thing."

Years ago when he had still lived in New Jersey, the therapist he had been seeing recommended him to start keeping a journal. To put his thoughts on paper when he couldn't talk them out, that way he wouldn't feel the need to act on them. It had worked pretty well, even when he came to Nockfell.

"It helps me rationalize my dumb ideas. It's not a planner, you dork. Is that why you were stressed yesterday?"

"Y-yeah, I just thought..."

Sal hugged him from behind, burying his face into his neck. Larry stiffened before leaning his head against Sally's.

"You think a lot but you don't ever ask. I'm fine, everyone has their problems dude. Thoughts are just thoughts sometimes, if I ever felt _that_ bad I'd go to you. You know that. This stomach thing is the same. I don't hide much from you, and this isn't exactly something I can hide. It fuckin' sucks but I'll manage. So, please, calm down for me? I'm perfectly capable of telling you what I can and can't do."

Larry sighed out of relief and somewhat embarrassment. It wasn't often he got so agitated. "You're right, sorry I got so worked up."

"Its okay, just remember I'm here to talk to too. We're in this together."

"Yeah, thanks Sally Face."

"You're welcome Larry Face."

Sal brushed through his long hair once more, checking for knots. He hummed contently when he found nothing. "All done!" His smile quickly turned into an annoyed frown when Larry immediately started to toss his hair around.

"I just finished that!"

"It looks better like this!"

Larry threw his head back, brushing the hair away from his face with his hand. Sally looked away, suddenly having to agree with him.

"I guess, you got someone you tryin' to impress?"

The boys switched positions, Larry sitting above him now. The question had been intended as a joke, but his heart nearly stopped when he admitted it to him.

"Kinda."

"K-kinda? You aren't going to tell me?"

"Nah, it's a secret." He purred, pulling gently at Sal's blue hair. His chest felt like a brewing storm of disappointment, distress, and... Jealousy?

"Whatever, I hope you don't plan on inviting them _everywhere_ with us."

"Doubt it, they aren't exactly interested. Pigtails or?"

Sal snorted in disbelief, some sort of relief settle into him. "Yeah right, and how 'bout a ponytail?"

"I'm serious, and sure."

He didn't reply. Eyes closed, he leaned into Larry's touch, trying to dispell the disarray in his chest. He knew why it stung, at least he was ninety percent sure he did. It had to happen eventually. Larry would move on with a partner of some sort and he'd be set on the back burner. The smaller boy felt a twinge of guilt to be eased when he heard they weren't interested.

"Sal, did you use my shampoo?"

"I dunno, maybe? Someone was rushing me."

Sal turned, feeling Larry finish with his hair. Bangs softly framed his face, and the ponytail was up high. Just like he liked it. But Larry seemed to disagree, his face was red, and he didn't meet his eyes. "Does it look bad?"

"No! That's not it... Uhm, hey what are you gonna wear for a jacket? You'll freeze lookin' like that."

"Well, okay, and I was gonna snag this hoodie."

Sal snatched an old red jacket, holes and stray threads lined the bottom, and it faintly smelt of smoke.

"That? That's so old dude."

"Yeah, but it's familiar. Maybe it'll make me feel better?"

Sal pleaded, eyes rounded. He was holding up Larry's hoodie from the last year, it wouldn't even come close to fitting him now, seeing as the brunet had finally begun to fill into his lanky frame, but it was a snug size for the blue-haired boy.

"Go ahead, just don't complain if it disintegrates on you. I didn't exactly take care of it."

"If it does you'll just give me yours again."

"Yeah, right." Larry scoffed. Sally smiled at him and tugged the hoodie on. He quickly snapped his prosthetic into place, now he at least didn't look like he had been puking for an hour. He gathered his things, making sure everything he needed was in his bag.

"Okay, I think that's everything. You ready?" He asked, slinging on his bag. Larry shoved his art pens into his bag. "Yeah, man this stupid English book is heavy."

"Yeah it weighs a fuckton, maybe if you just cleaned out your locker you could keep it there."

"No."

Sally shook his head, afraid of the disaster in Larry's locker. If he was willing to carry the enormous textbook, it had to be bad.

"Suffer then, do you think Mr. Gibson will pick up the homework today?"

The pair had already made it out of the basement by now. The musty air did nothing to ease his churning stomach, each time a new smell hit him his stomach flipped over as if searching for something to heave up.

"I hope so, I worked hard on it."

Sal waved at the source of the voice, Todd, who was waiting at the edge of the apartments. He had become part of their routine long ago, once they convinced him that it _wasn't_ necessary to sprint to school as soon as it opened its doors.

"You work hard on everything Todd, most of us would fail if they picked up everything you did." Larry patted the redhead's back exasperatedly as they started walking. " _I_ would fail if they picked up everything."

"You didn't do the homework, did you?" Sal asked.

"Uh, no."

Todd and Sal laughed while Larry rubbed the back of his head. "I'll do it for you once we get there, you owe me though," Sal said, taking pity on him.

"You could just let me fail."

"Lisa would kill both of us."

"Fair point."

A silence enveloped them but the air was comfortable. Sal briefly wondered how cold it was, he was warmer than yesterday despite wearing much less. He spotted the café from yesterday, Ash would be inside. They most often ate breakfast here since the discovery of what meat was inside the "bologna" last year. Even if Mrs. Packerton was dead now.

However, as soon as the smell of coffee hit him he unwillingly gagged, his hand forced itself underneath his mask to press against his mouth firmly. He was sure his stomach was doing summersaults at this point. Both Todd and Larry stopped beside him, exchanging a concerned glance.

"Are you alright Sal?"

"Are you gonna be sick again dude?"

Sal shot a warning look at Larry, he didn't want to worry anyone, and Todd and Ash were nowhere near as easy to convince.

"I'm fine, just been a little sick this morning. It'll pass, let's go." His voice was tight with restraint. Forcing the wave of nausea down, he started walking again. They hurried to keep pace beside him.

"Make sure you get something easy on the stomach, like yogurt and fruits," Todd suggested. Sally made a face beneath his mask. "I have to eat?"

"Studies show that being ill on an empty stomach can worsen matters and increase nausea's longevity."

"You talkin' like that makes me sick."

Todd sighed crossly, but his tone was light with amusement.

"In other words, yes you must eat. And drink water preferably."

He groaned and Larry patted his shoulder, snickering. "See, you should've stayed home. At least Mom would've babied you." Sal didn't agree.

"She would've actually taken me to the hospital. I know she'd mean well but..." He shuddered, his fear of hospitals was deep-rooted. He would bleed out before willingly going. Larry shook his head. "Nah dude, she'd probably find a bunch of home remedies. Even she knows better than that."

Sal shrugged. "You tried."

"For like, three seconds. You're a scarily stubborn dude."

Todd laughed at that, throwing open the door to the café. "You can't deny that Sally."

They spotted Ash in her trademark purple sweater, her hair was tied up neatly away from her eyes. She was staring at something, a content smile on her face. Sal rolled his eyes when he followed her gaze. "If you don't ask her out soon I'm gonna do it for you."

He threw his bag down into his chair, right beside the window again. He liked being in the corner, nothing could get behind him and people passing by couldn't stare like he was some sort of horror attraction. Ash glared at him, scandalized. "It's not that easy asshole." They were referring to the pretty purple-haired barista shaking some sort of coffee behind the bar. She was often here early on weekdays, and Ash could never find enough excuses to talk to her.

"No, but staring at her all heart-eyed isn't exactly helping. I thought you were _brave_." Sal grinned underneath his mask, knowing he was provoking her. Ash stood up, annoyance blazing in her eyes. "I'm brave! I have more balls than the three of you combined!" Larry and Todd laughed loudly, seeing through Sally's plan. "Fine, prove it, go ask her out when you order for everyone." He said smugly.

If looks could kill, Sal would be an inch away from death. Ashley had too much pride, and could never back away from a challenge, no matter how impossible. "Fine! What do you want?" Despite her brave face, he could see the misgivings in the way she tightly crossed her arms. But he knew better, once he had come into the café on his own to grab a hot cocoa and the barista, Evelyn, had bombarded him with questions about Ash.

"I'll have a cinnamon roll and coffee, please." Todd requested, still chuckling.

"Uhm, a muffin and orange juice," Larry squinted the menu up on the wall, "and Sal wants yogurt and water." He added firmly but kindly, glancing at the Sal.

Ash quirked an eyebrow at them but said nothing. "Hand it over then boys." They forked over the money, everyone paid for their own breakfast. She appeared to steady herself by taking a deep breath and started towards the bar.

Sal groaned and rubbed his stomach, the thought of food only made him more queasy. "I assure you, it'll help." Todd gave him a sympathetic look.

"You better hope so, or you're goin' to be one I puke on." He glanced at his phone, checking the time. It was 7:32 AM, school didn't start until 9:00 AM.

"Larry, what the fuck did we hurry for?"

The brunet yawned and peered over at Sal's phone. "Oh, I thought it was _way_ later than that." He lightly elbowed him, amusement glowing in his warm brown eyes. "Now you got way more time to do my homework." Sal rolled his eyes in exasperation but held out a hand for the paper nonetheless.

 _"Hurry your ass up Sally! I couldn't bear to miss my breakfast!"_ He mocked shrilly, but his tone was playful as he dodged a poorly aimed smack. Larry pushed a slightly crumpled paper into his hands. He pulled out a pencil and begun working on it, perfectly copying Larry's scratchy handwriting. He looked up occasionally, wondering if he'd see Travis again. He couldn't risk getting shit poured on him again when he had classes to attend and was pleased when no recognizable blonde hair caught his eye.

"Todd, when the squirrel jumped down-?"

"It chewed through the vines, yes."

He hummed his thanks and briskly wrote the answer down. He abruptly caught the smell of food stronger than before, he had to clamp his jaw down to avoid gagging. "Guess what! I got her number bitches!" Ash was positively glowing, a napkin waving to and fro in one hand, the other set the tray on the table. Sal reluctantly grabbed his own plate, staring at the plain white yogurt. Larry shot him a look that plainly read _'if you don't eat I'll force feed you.'_ He sighed, unclasping the bottom of his mask and scooped up a spoonful, holding his breath as he took a bite.

It went down smoothly.

As soon as the yogurt hit his tongue, it was as if he stomach realized how empty it was. He was even more pleased when the nausea slowly subsided. "Sal look! Take that asshole!" He blinked, rapidly trying to focus on the napkin being shoved in his face. "That's great Ash, I knew you could do it!" He cheered through another bite.

"No, you didn't, that's why you dared me!"

"Do you really think I'd have you embarrass yourself like that?"

Ash went quiet for a moment as she took this in, before perking up even brighter. "You could have told me she liked me!" Her eyes held a deep affection for the blue-haired boy. "Would you have believed me?" He asked teasingly. She spluttered at this. "Y-yes!"

All the boys laughed again.

"You guys are awful." She pouted as she dug into her sandwich, but her voice was filled with warmth.

The rest of the breakfast was quiet in comparison, everyone settling into their food, chatting softly. He was beginning to thoroughly enjoy eating, relief settling over him as the last of the illness washed away.

"Sal do you think-"

As Sal listened to the question, his world went dark. He saw nothing, heard nothing, and felt nothing. He was back in the Void from his dream. No, something was different. The blue-haired boy sensed time whisking by him, when he looked at his own body he saw things shift constantly. His fingers grow strong and calloused before becoming frail, he saw his arms become thicker then wrinkling. Sal could feel his hair stretch down to his mid-arm before suddenly becoming shorter again. Was he... Aging? _Where the hell am I?_ He thought. "Hello?" Sally tried to create some noise, but his voice had been stolen away and not a squeak came out. The sensory deprivation was beginning to take its toll on him, he-

He was back in the world, colors and sounds snapped back to life so harshly he sucked in air through his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. It seemed that not a single moment had passed, despite the years he had felt himself lose in the void. The dark energy that had plagued him since yesterday finally settled down in the back of his brain. He could feel it pulsing like a slow-beating heart. Sally tugged on his hair subconsciously, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"-think that this town-, are you okay dude?"

Larry was peering at him closely. He shuddered, trying to shake off the darkness that settled in his mind. "Yeah, finish your question." Larry hesitated but after a few moments, he finally continued.

"Do you think this town is infested with ghost? Or just the Apartments?"

Sal wished for once he could pay attention in a conversation, he had little to no clue when they had begun talking about ghost. "Uhm, I'm pretty sure the woods are haunted. The ones by Lake Wendigo? A lot of people go there to die."

"Fair point, but would their spirits be trapped? Or-" Todd debated, only to be cut off by a tall blonde boy. Travis. The atmosphere changed instantaneously, from warm and inviting to hostile.

"The fuck you want? Got another drink to dump on me?" Sal hissed. He was already stressed out, this was the last thing he needed. The fuzzy darkness was still pounding in the back of his head.

Travis glared down at him. "Not today pipsqueak, I actually came to tell you something important."

Larry appeared to be within an inch of slaughtering him. Sal gripped his knee warningly, exchanging a look with the others. Travis's face contorted in disgust. "Can't you fuckin' hide that shit? I didn't come to watch you be a faggot."

Sally gritted his teeth, trying desperately to calm himself. Travis wouldn't come here to get himself killed. "Then be a dear, Travis, and tell me what's so important?"

The blonde smirked at his tone, seemingly proud to have pissed him off, but his eyes were still cautious. "Stay away from Ms. Decker today, it's in your best interest if you do."

The group stared at him.

"Is that a threat?" Sal started laughing, what had he expected? Certainly not that. "I don't even have a class with her. Why on earth would I see a 10th-grade history teacher? Are you two dating? I promise I'm not interested in her." He mocked, voice sickly sweet. Ash erupted into giggles.

Travis morphed into the embodiment of fury, eyes blazing and his knuckles were white, balled up by his side. "God, you're fuckin' stupid! Fine! I don't even know why I bothered!"

"I don't either buddy, go away Travis. I promise I'll stay away from your girlfriend for what its worth." He smirked, sarcasm burning the air around them. Even Larry and Todd were smiling now, and Ash was in complete hysterics. Despite his arrogant manner, he prepared himself. If Sal was good at something, it was recognizing trouble. Travis always gave off telltale signs of when he was going to strike, his hand would twitch, he'd eye the spot he planned to hit, his body would go rigid. The blue-haired boy tensed up, ready to react if the other decided to lash out.

Travis seemed to hesitate for a slight second, then bolted out of the café.

Sal let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"What a fuckin' weirdo, and he calls us strange." Larry grinned as he spoke. Sally forced out a laugh, already he had lost any energy he had for the day. Strange dreams and visions, mysterious illnesses, and now Travis _w_ _ _arning__ him? Exhaustion tugged at him, and he silently prayed to whatever god was listening.

_Let this be as bad as it gets._

 

 

 

"For the last time Ash, you took _all_ of the blue flowers! And purple! What was I supposed to make it out of?"

Sally walked out of the Art Classroom, bickering with Ashley. The rest of the day had gone smoothly, much to his surprise. Travis had completely avoided him, he didn't even show up for Maths, which had beyond shocked him. He wasn't known to skip. The blue-haired boy had briefly wondered if he had been serious, but soon enough Larry had caught his attention with an obscene doodle of the current Maths teacher, Mr. Button, and he had pushed it out of thought.

"Still! Yellow and orange? That matches Larry perfectly! Just say you made it for him!"

He blushed furiously beneath his mask. In Art Class, the teacher, Mrs. Redwood had a serious headache. She had tossed fake flowers and hot glue guns at the teenagers, took Nyquil, and promptly passed out at her desk. Most kids ignored this, either getting on their phones or simply leaving the class. Ash and Sally, on the other hand, went to town. Ash was beautifully decorated in violet and blue flower, both a crown and necklace upon her body. Sal had been left with yellows and oranges, which did not look good on him. He had even tried to steal a few blue flowers before Ash caught him.

Who knew it was possible to threatened by a hot glue gun?

"Yes, I made it for him! But you make it sound weird!" He had a feeling what she was trying to hint at.

Ash ignored him, desperately waving to familiar brunet. Sal groaned internally.

"Larry look! Come look what Sal made!"

The tall boy effortlessly pushed through the crowd, easily towering over most of them. As he stopped before them, Sally felt a sharp elbow to his ribs. He shot an indignant look at her. Growing more and more thankful for the mask that hid his reddening face, he held out the colorful flower crown, feeling childish.

"Here. For you."

Larry smiled brightly and snatched it up immediately. "That's sick dude!" He placed it upon his head, smiling like an idiot. "What do you think? Am I pretty flower boy now?" He gave an experimental spin.

Sal absolutely had to agree with the 'pretty' part.

"You guys are just too cute together!" Ash flittered between them excitedly. Even Larry's ear tips were glowing red at this point, but he was frowning down at her. Sally was pretty sure if he tried hard enough, he could melt right here and now.

"Ash, you know how Todd feels about you being late to tutoring," Sal said pointedly. She glanced up at the clock on the wall and gained a frenzied look. "Fuck! I have to go! Bye!" She sprinted down the hall, joining the thinning crowds.

Sal and Larry were left alone together.

"Sorry about that, for her being weird I mean."

Larry gave him an unreadable look. "Why? I mean, do you know why she was bein' weird?"

"Uhm, well, she took all the flowers that I wanted, so I decided to just make it for you, you always looked, uh, better with this sort of artsy things anyways. Then she turned it into a big huge deal..." He trailed off, shrugging. Sal met his eyes, finding that same intensity from before. The one that made his heart skip a beat.

The one had made him feel...

"I really love it, thank you, Sally." Larry spoke softly, sweetly even, sending a chill down his spine. Who gave him the right to speak like that? Sal's heart raced, attempting to rationalize his feelings. He was sleep deprived, that was it. He had a rough morning, he definitely needed a nap.

"I'm gonna take a nap in the library okay?" Sal rubbed the back of his neck, still unable to tear his eyes away from Larry.

"Want me to come-?"

"Nope, absolutely not. Your class is on the other side of the school, and you're already three minutes late."

Larry pouted, although he was pretty sure the brunet would do anything to get out of Economics. "C'mon, you'll see me in an hour. Then we can go home and I can beat your ass at Gario Cart again."

"One time Sal! You beat me once!"

Sally laughed, hugging Larry goodbye. He bit at his lip, regretting the hug when his heart drummed in his ears louder than before. What the hell was happening to him? He had never been _nervous_ to hug him before.

Sal subconsciously gripped him harder, beginning to feel overwhelmed. It only took a moment for him to realize embraces didn't usually last this long. He hastily broke away, not meeting his eyes. "See you later!" He called, turning the corner before Larry could say anything.

As soon as he was sure Larry didn't follow, Sal let out a low groan, burying his head in his hands. "I'm so fuckin' weird." He mumbled to himself, anxiety crawling underneath his skin. Was he really getting excited at such trivial things? He knew what was happening, he knew why he had been jealous, why he couldn't stop thinking about the way he _felt_ around Larry.

Sal was starting to have a crush on him. His best friend.

He let out a bitter, overwhelmed laugh. What was he thinking?

Feeling quite literally moments away from tears, he shakily sighed and pulled out his phone, tapping on his messaging app.

_sal: i think im in trouble, emotional trouble._

_todd: Do you need me to go and get you? Ash won't mind._

_sal: no, no not at all. i just wanna talk about it, if you have a moment._

_todd: Yes, of course. Ashley is working well on her own right now. What's the problem?_

Sal paused for just a moment, gaining control over his breathing. Todd could help him, he was one of the kindest guys he knew. Right now, Larry would only overwhelm him again.

_sal: pretty sure you already know this, but don't tell larry, or ash ok?_

_todd: I won't, you have my word._

_sal: thanks. today's been rough. when i said i was sick this morning, i mean i was really bad. everything i threw up was nearly or exactly black. and i keep having these moments of complete darkness, where time seems irrelevant and there is no sound, or light, or anything._

_sal: on top of that, pretty sure im starting to catch feelings for larry. its fucked up, i know it is, i don't wanna ruin what we have already._

_sal: i feel like im on the verge of an anxiety attack._

He leaned his head against his knees, ignoring the way his mask dug onto his skin. Sal just wanted a break. A tiny break. Yesterday he was anxious about his face, and then Larry held him. And now he couldn't get that out of his head. How much he had enjoyed it, and how strange the empty feeling when he had left was. Today he had blackouts and couldn't even go to his favorite person for help.

_todd: Sally, that's serious. The vomiting part. Black is not a color our bodies produce normally._

_sal: i know that. it stopped as soon as i ate something. i think it was a side effect from the visions im seeing._

_todd: You could be right, maybe it's a mental reaction to it. I'd like to look over you once we get to the Apartments still. I have a brief knowledge of what to look for._

Sally chuckled despite himself. _Brief_ was putting it lightly.

_sal: ok. any ideas on how to calm down? this shit's fuckin with my head. ever since yesterday, we tried to visit megan its like this darkness is chasin me around._

_todd: Ground yourself, these visions could be a ghost or entity of some sort trying to communicate in a way. Take a deep breath and remember that._

Sal hadn't thought of that but now seeing the line of thinking, it kind of made sense. He forced himself to relax. "I'm not in danger." He murmured. He felt some of the anxiety fade as he created a mantra. If this was a ghost's doing he'd need to have a serious talk about personal space with them.

_todd: Now, about Larry. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. It's obvious that both of your souls are intertwined, but whether platonically or romantically remains to be seen. I don't think Larry could ever think bad of you, Sally._

He blinked at the text, trying to comprehend it. It sounded like Todd was telling him to just take his time, but he didn't want that. Sal wanted this to go away. Even if Lary would still be there for him, he didn't want that strain. He couldn't handle anything else right now.

_sal: i dunno. i think im gonna try and ignore it to be honest. as much as i can. I don't think i can handle any more things on my plate._

_todd: Is that healthy?_

_sal: is anything i do healthy? it's for the best._

_sal: thanks for the help. im gonna go nap in the library._

He sighed and put his phone away. Sal wasn't a stranger to repressing feelings, but hiding things like this felt unnatural, especially when it came to Larry. Still, there was no place for this sort of thing in their relationship. Sal would have to get over it.

He took a long breath, holding it for just a moment as if to steel himself, and stood up.

Sal began walking toward the library, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. The blue-haired boy had only made it a few paces before he heard a frail voice.

"Sal Fisher! Is that you?"

He turned back, eyes meeting a tiny older woman with frizzy gray hair at the end of the hall.

"Hello, Ms. Decker."

Sal felt dread pooling in his stomach, stronger than the day before. Travis's warning ringed in his ears. He took a few paces back.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I should really head to the library, have a-"

"Oh, nonsense! I could use your help, I can write a pass for you if you need it."

She started towards him, quicker than before. Sal's heart hammered in his chest as he continued to back away.

"I'm sorry, I have a project I really need to work on. Hopefully, you can find some-"

A wave of black covered his eyes and his voice was caught in his throat, choking him. Same as before, he could feel himself rapidly changing. Different than before, he could see a tiny pinprick of white in the distance.

Then he was back, Ms. Decker being closer than before.

"Sal! Just wait right there!"

Then he was plunged into the void again. The pinprick was closer now, he could make out its shape. It was- _Oh god..._ His hands flew up to his mask in horror.

"L-leave me alone!"

Sal was surprised to hear his voice, but it was quickly replaced with fear as Ms. Decker was now standing over him, eyes malicious. "I'm only here to help dear!"

He didn't have time to respond. The white figure was standing over him now, and he couldn't deny what it was now. A large, wolf-like dog stood over him, teeth bared. Sal's breathing was already shallow and weak, but it stopped once he saw what laid around at the dog's paws.

His Mom, his Dad, Lisa, Larry, Ash, and Todd were all piled at its feet, throats gruesomely tore out.

He wanted so desperately to scream, to move, to do _anything_. Sal was frozen in fear, tears poured down his face.

The vision dissipated, but what loomed over him wasn't much better. Ms. Decker looked as if she were to start foaming at the mouth, and her eyes were rolled into the back of her head. Her voice was a hideous screech that made scrapped nails on a chalkboard pleasant.

_**"THE DEMON RETURNS! THE EYE, FOR SEEING THE EVERLASTING DOOM. THE BLOOD, FOR THE ENDLESS CASCADES OF PUNISHMENT ALL SHALL SUFFER. THE SOUL, TO BE MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY BEAST THAT ROAMS THE EARTH. A MARTYR IS NEEDED, SACRIFICE IS-"** _

"Shut up you stupid hag!"

Sal had to be going insane. There wasn't any other explanation. Today must be the day he had finally lost it. Travis Phelps, the boy who had mocked him, hurt him, the boy who had dumped coffee on him yesterday, had shown up to rescue to him.

He didn't know whether to be ashamed, relieved, or a mixture of the two.

Travis roughly shoved Ms. Decker back, making a protective barrier between her and Sally, who at some point during his blind terror had fallen down. Despite the elderly woman being as frail as a beetle, she stood strong against the blonde boy.

"Travis, dear," she started, voice as cold as ice, "Your father wouldn't-"

"My father hardly claims me, do you really think I care anymore? Go on! Go race to the church and throw yourself at him, go tell him I've ruined everything once again!" He spat, shaking with anger. Sal had never seen him like this, it was terrifying. He had never thought Travis as someone to be feared, he was just supposed to be a scared boy that wouldn't ask for help. Someone had finally pushed him too far.

Still, Ms. Decker hesitated, as if she could see some way to get past him to her blue-haired target. Travis started towards her, his tone laced with venom. "If you don't get movin' right now, I'll show you what makes me and my father truly alike."

This seemed to scare her, as she scuttled away from him in a speed that wasn't quite right for her age. Sal struggled to regain control of his breathing; his throat felt like it was closing on him. As he weakly gasped for air, Travis seemed to remember that the smaller boy was there. He instantaneously knelt down beside him, uncharacteristically calm.

"Don't pass out now, there's no way I'm getting beat up by your boyfriend."

Sally didn't bother correcting him, the visions he had seen were still flashing before him. He let out a pathetic whimper. Travis seemed to be battling a decision in his mind, his gaze flickering. Wordlessly, he scooped up Sal in his arms, ignoring his feeble attempts to break free.

"Don't. You're weak, scared, and probably dehydrated. I'm just taking you to the bathroom."

He stopped squirming, finding odd comfort in his words. Not to mention, he had just saved his ass. There wasn't too much worse that could happen to him, and his pride was already torn to shreds. The walk to the Men's bathroom was quiet, if not uncomfortable. Sal swore that only his life could be this strange, his enemy carrying him to some sort of safety? A fragile teacher seemingly capable of murder?

But what bothered him most was the white wolf-dog. Was he destined to drag down his loved ones with him? Was it real? They were _dead_. Ms. Decker had screamed about a prophecy, a sacrifice. Was it something that was bound to happen? Was it fate? Could he change it?

"Whatever you saw, it isn't real."

Travis looked at him knowingly, as if he had been through something similar. Sal only blinked at him, unable to form words. They pushed into the restroom and Travis set him onto the floor awkwardly. Without a word, he dug into his bag, looking for something.

"Have you thrown up black shit today? Have you had dark moments of vision?"

Travis sounded so formal, as if he hadn't just been carrying the blue-haired boy like a small child, that it took a few moments before Sal could articulate words.

"Y-yes, to both."

He nodded, pulling out a small vial.

"Thought so. Here, take this. It tastes like ass, and you'll cry like hell, but it'll clear all the infection out, and you'll feel a whole lot better afterward."

"I-infection?"

Travis ran a hand through his hair, looking for a way to explain.

"Okay, so you know The Demon right?" Sal nodded. "Well, uh, he's back. I dunno what the hell you guys did to get rid of him, but The Devours summoned him once more. He's weaker, though. So he's trying to gain uh, soul power I guess? We think that he needs yours, something about vengeance. The Demon is trying to infect you, that's why you've probably been sick. Although I'm not sure how on earth you came into contact with him. So uh, I was supposed to help that old bitch capture you, but obviously, I'm not doing that."

Travis rambled, his voice fractured oddly and stopped in weird places. At least he was trying, though, he even smiled awkwardly at him. Sal must've looked more confused, however, because he stood up and rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"Look, this is weird for me okay. Just stay away from infected spots. Stay away from the woods. Don't spill that," He pointed at the vial in Sal's hands, "That's the last one, and I have no fucking clue on how to make more."

Sal turned the vial in his hands, wondering what it contained. Travis rubbed his face, glancing at the mirror. "This has got to be the weirdest fucking day ever." Sal let out a bitter snort at his tone despite himself. The blonde boy looked about ready to leave when he asked a single question.

"Why?"

Travis turned, staring down at him. "Why what?"

"Why help me? I thought you hated me?"

Travis forced out a laugh. "I do, I guess, I think you're disgusting, dressing like a girl and _kissing_ guys, but it doesn't mean you should _die_."

Sal stared at him, both grateful and irritated.

"Oh, thanks. Kinda. Maybe?"

Travis briefly smiled, a real smile, if only for a moment. "Next time, listen to my warning." He turned to leave again, only to pause once more.

"Uh, you got someone to call, right? Like Larry? Cause as I said, that shit's gonna fuck you up. You probably feel sort of numb now, but in a day or so it gets... Bad."

Sal nodded, deciding to trust him at this point.

"Good. Then, bye."

"Bye."

He watched as Travis left, then pulled out his phone, dialing Larry. As it rang, he twisted the vial around in his hands. So he was infected? By Red Eyes? Travis was right, after the initial shock, he felt void of any emotion.

"Sally? You okay?"

"No, not really. Can you come to the bathroom in the 10th-grade hallway?"

"Yes, be right there."

He hung up, curling his knees to his chest. At least classes were almost over, he couldn't imagine explaining why Larry skipped for him again to Lisa. She was understanding but wanted the best for Larry at the same time.

As he waited for him, Sal tried to collect his thoughts into categories. He was infected and he was being marked down by a demon. Suddenly the crush he had been distraught over an hour ago seemed insignificant. How on earth did he get himself into this mess?

_Megan!_

Was she okay? That's where he must've come in contact with Red Eyes, is that why she wouldn't appear? She had always been scared of him, refusing to come out when he roamed nearby. Even his ghost friend was in danger now.

"I'm so fucked."

"What's wrong?"

Larry threw the door open, urgency filling his voice. Sal perked up, beckoning him to come closer. Larry sat beside him, wrapping his arms carefully around the smaller boy. He briefly retold the events, only detailing what was necessary. The poor brunet looked downright confused and horrified.

"So, Travis, our _Travis_ , _protected_ you?"

"Yeah, if it weren't for him I'd be..." He trailed off with a shrug, unsure.

"I never thought I could feel a positive feeling towards that asshole until now." Sal gave a half-hearted chuckle at Larry's comment. He leaned into his embrace, just for a moment, and unplugged the vial.

"So uh, you really trust that?" He asked nervously, eyeing it as if it were about to bite him.

"Don't see why not. He said it'd freak me out though, so uh, be prepared." Sal lifted his mask and titled the vial into his mouth, wincing at the offensive taste. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Larry worrying his lip between his teeth. He finished it off in one go and tossed it in the bin.

"So, it's not poisoned, right?"

Sal couldn't answer, he had begun to shake violently. He tugged at his hair roughly until Larry pulled his hands away and forced them down. "Sally?" The blue-hair boy whimpered for just a moment, eyes darting around erratically, searching for comfort before sobbing openly, his wails echoing off the tiled walls. It was as if it every negative emotion he had ever felt had covered him from head to toe.

It was a long time before he stopped crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter sucks. It's awful, but I needed to get something out, so I apologize in advance. Also, the pacing is super fucked since I plan on this fic being 40 chapters long, a lot had to be shoved in there. I'm so sorry.


	5. I Wanna Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A terrible sight in a beautiful place.

"So how did the date go?"

It had been two weeks since the incident with Ms. Decker and Travis. Both of them had disappeared after that day, vanishing into thin air. Surprisingly, neither case had been connected by the authorities in any way; they had acted as if were a mere coincidence. Mr. Phelps had pleaded on live television for someone to bring home his boy, safe and sound, but he saw beneath the facade of a concerned, grieving father, that the priest was violent and angry. Ms. Decker was discovered that very night, the Police had refused to disclose any details, saying the scene was much too gruesome. He had been silently praying that Travis had escaped his father's hold and made it to safety, where ever that was.

Sal himself hadn't shown up to school either. He had spoken with his father about staying home for a few weeks, claiming he was becoming much too anxious and needed a break. That was partly true, at least the anxiety was. He had been terrified of returning, even with Ms. Decker long gone. Expelling the Demon's grip on him had forced him to see every miserable memory in slow motion. Sally swore he was in that restroom for days, screaming his throat out, despite Larry telling him it had been only an hour. Between that and the visions of the white wolf, he was petrified of stepping foot inside Nockfell High.

Thankfully, he had the best friends a person could ask for.

Sal had at least one of his friends in every period, and they had begun gathering his homework for him. Todd had even taken up teaching him any new lessons that were taught whilst he was away. The blue-haired boy's heart was swelling with gratitude just thinking of it. He truly did not deserve them.

"It was perfect! She's so pretty, she smells like cupcakes and always has glitter on her and... She's perfect!"

Sally chuckled, listening to Ashley gush over the phone about her date. She and Evelyn had just gone out on their second date, and she couldn't have been more ecstatic at the success.

"That's adorable Ash. Sounds like a match made in heaven."

"It is! We're going out for pizza tomorrow, I was thinking, should you guys come too? I mean, won't she eventually have to hang out with us?"

Sal frowned and shook his head before realizing she couldn't see him. "No? We all love Neil, but none of us ask him to come with us everywhere. Doesn't Evelyn have her own friend group?"

"Yeah, but I don't think can manage my time like that. I'm always late to everything, what if I get busy with you guys? Or vice versa?"

Sal almost felt her apprehension through the phone. "It'll be fine Ash, you always make it work. If you really like her then you'll find a way, you know? And don't worry about us, we'll drag you back eventually," He paused, his voice teasing, " _If_ we miss you."

He could hear her smile without even seeing her face. "Oh shut up asshole, you guys love me. Still, you're right. I'll give it sometime before I actually worry. Plus, I wanna kiss her glittery face without other people watching."

Sal wrinkled his nose, laughing. "Gross."

"Whatever! It's not gross!"

"Sureee."

"Hmph. What're you up to? I bet its gross."

"If you can call relaxin' on top of the treehouse gross, then yup."

"That sounds romantic, actually, is Larry there?"

Sal nearly choked, heart jumping into his throat. Despite his best efforts, his crush on the brunet hadn't weakened at all. If anything it was only getting stronger. Each and every day he recognized something Larry had done, something he had grown used to or something he had taken for granted, and fell for him harder than the day before. Especially after the incident, Larry had taken him home and cared for him, it had completely ruined any attempt of suppressing his feelings. He was decent at hiding it for now, but he was getting closer and closer to the desire of kissing him senseless.

"N—no! He isn't up here, and why is it romantic?!"

"C'mon, watching the sunset in a tree? That's so cheesy and so your style!"

"I don't have a style!"

He hung up, Ashley's laughs ringing in his ears. He did _not_ have a style.

"Sally? Are you up there?"

The blue-haired boy peeked over the edge of the roof, recognizing the voice. "Y—yeah! Kinda! Did you know how awesome the view is up here?" He called down to Larry, face heating up. Stupid Ashley.

"Why the fuck are you on the roof? Get down before you fall!"

"No way! It's safe, come check this sick ass view dude!"

He grinned beneath his mask. It really was pretty up here, to be fair. Hues of gold and amber painted the sky, alighting the wispy clouds. The roof had a perfect window between the leaves, like an elegant frame for a beautiful painting. Sal motioned for his friend to follow him up, snickering at his complaints.

"I don't even know how you got up there."

"Through the open fuckin' window, dumbass!"

"Dumbass yourself! You're tiny! If you fall you'll break literally every single bone."

"Then won't you come up here? You wouldn't let me fall." He purred, enjoying the reaction he got. Larry appeared annoyed and somewhat flustered, but he was more interested in the _'my friend is an idiot'_ smile he wore. If Sal like anything about him, it was Larry's smile.

"Fine, I'm comin' up. I hate heights."

"You're the size of a tree, how can you hate heights?"

"Okay, I hate you in somewhere high."

Sal watched as Larry climbed into his treehouse, popping his head out through the window.

"I love climbing, its fun! You worry too much."

The brunet gracefully made his way onto the roof, long limbs aiding him far more easily than Sal's. He gestured for him to scoot over, laying beside him. Sal smiled brightly, watching Larry's face morph from exasperation to amazement.

"Oh, wow. It's..."

"Beautiful? Gorgeous? I know. You should listen to me more often."

Larry snorted, throwing him a playful look. They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the sunset. Purple had quietly crept on to the canvas, splattering indigo amongst the oranges. White speckles of stars shined down on the pair, showing the first signs of the oncoming night. Sal let his mind relax, recalling the idea he had been working on before Ash called. He wanted to explore the woods by Lake Wendigo. Despite Travis telling him to stay away, he was desperate to get rid of the cult and the Demon for good. What good was being cured if his friends were at risk as well? He glanced at Larry, eyes soft when he spotted the rather dreamy look on his face. He'd die before letting anything happen to him. Sal wondered what the connection at the lake could be. Wasn't Megan's body found there? But her spirit stayed at her place of death, surely that'd be more than enough to keep Red Eyes rooted in the Apartments?

"How're you holdin' up?"

His train of thought faltered as Larry spoke, silently sighing. Regardless of his reluctance of discussing his break down, he felt a surge of warmth. Larry was at least casual in the way he addressed it.

"It's, uh, it's hard. I'm havin' nightmares about my nightmares." He let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"I'm so sorry Sally, I wish I could make it stop."

"No... It's fine, not much you can do. I'll slowly get better. One day at a time right?" He sighed, trying his best to believe what he spoke.

Larry turned to face him, but oh god was it a mistake to roll to see him too. His sharp features were highlighted in the golden hour lighting, his tan skin seemed to glow, his bronze gaze illuminated in concern. Sally's mouth moved before his brain caught its breath.

"Fuck, you look good right now."

Larry blushed visibly, despite the red coloring being washed away in the sunlight. Sal cringed, wishing he could physically disappear. He tore his gaze away from him. _Oh, I'm doing such a good job of hiding it!_ He ridiculed himself, not daring to glance back.

"T—thanks?"

He winced at the awkwardness. Sal seriously considered jumping off the treehouse and running, just for a moment. Deciding that was _probably_ stupid, he instead rolled with it. He wasn't going to lie to him.

"You're welcome, think you can turn a brighter shade of pink?" He teased gently, ignoring the fact he was a vibrant red underneath his mask.

"H—hey! I just didn't suspect you to sound so sincere!"

Sal frowned at that. "I wouldn't lie to you." He sat up and scooted to the edge of the roof, dangling his legs over.

"Be careful, and I didn't say that either."

Sal shrugged and went silent, observing the darkening sky. He bounced his legs back and forward, biting his scared lips. He wanted to change the subject before he really did give up his secret.

"What's on your mind?"

Larry scooted beside him, voice as soft as ever. His arm delicately wrapped around Sal's side. He went rigid; if he blushed any more he might actually overheat. The brunet must've felt him tensed, and immediately retracted his arm.

"S—sorry, thought you might've been cold."

The smaller boy sighed silently, of course he thought that. If only he could just understand how Sal's heart thumped from the slightest touches. _Don't you see what you're doing to me?_ Sal shook his head and leaned against him. "I'm always cold, just uh, got lost in thought for a second." That was, at least partially, true.

"Oh, okay then." He heard the smile in his voice as he embraced Sally again. "So, what _are_ you thinkin' about?"

Sal decided to tell him his plans about the woods. "I wanna go check out Wendigo Lake. I have a feeling that's where we should search for clues next."

"You're 'feelings' always seem to get you in trouble."

"That's why I'm takin' everyone. Then you can't whine about me bein' reckless."

"You _are_ reckless!"

Sal rolled his eyes playfully, smiling. "Okay, _mom_ , I fixed it. Let's just enjoy the view." They both went quiet, immensely enjoying the now midnight blue night sky. Ashley's words ringed in the back of his head. This was as romantic as it gets. His head on Larry's shoulder, an arm wrapped around him protectively. He almost wanted to wail aloud about how unfair it was, how much the longing for it to be something more hurt.

But he didn't. He opted to adore what he had now and prayed that one day the feelings would dissipate.  
  
  


It took him nearly another week to convince everyone to join him. Ash wasn't hard to persuade but her parents were rather strict on curfew. She eventually had to lie to them, saying she was spending the night with Sal. He felt guilty, but she assured him it was worth it.

Todd was also difficult. He simply refused to go anywhere during the school week, claiming that his homework was more important, and by extension so was Sally's. He even nearly wanted to rescheduled twice because of weekend projects, but Sal had talked him out of that.

"Can't they hurry their asses up? We still have to get gas and shit."

Sally and Larry were leaning against an old black Dodge Dakota, waiting for Ash and Todd. They were slowly packing bags to explore the woods. Todd had claimed all the essentials, flashlights, water, first aid kit, a map, and god knows what else. He had tried to explain that most of that wasn't necessary, but he wouldn't let him get a word. Ash was bringing more... Recreational stuff. She had scored a bag of weed from the Morrison's and had begged for Sal to let her and Larry smoke. The blue-haired boy had given in easily, seeing as weed wasn't nearly as bad as cigarettes.

However, they were taking forever.

"Did you grab the CD?" Larry asked, shaking him out of his head.

He and Larry had spent the day doing absolutely random things, but towards the end of it, they had made a CD of some of their favorite songs to listen to on the car ride. Wendigo Lake was a far drive, after all, it was on the edge of town.

"Uhh, I think so?"

Sally opened the truck door and searched through his bag, groaning when he didn't find it.

"Nevermind, it's at my place, be right back."

Larry gave him a playful sigh of annoyance, lightly shoving at him as he went by. "Hurry up! Those two are already takin' enough time." Sal nodded and flung the doors of the Apartments open.

Todd and Ash stepped off the elevator as he halted before it. "Forget something?" Todd questioned.

"Yeah, go wait by the truck. Get ready for Larry to complain your ears off." They both laughed and stepped aside. Sally entered the elevator and hummed as it shuttled him upwards. He briefly wondered if his Dad was home yet. He hadn't seen his car pull up, but that didn't mean much when he hadn't been looking out for it either.

He left the elevator, pulling his keys out of his pocket. He unlocked his door and was immediately hit by the harsh smell of alcohol.

Yeah. His dad was home alright.

He loved his father, he truly did. But he had stopped feeling sympathy to the older man long ago with his drinking habits. If he wasn't at work, he was at a bar, if not a bar then he was at home, wasted. It was a vicious cycle, but no matter how hard Sal tried to break it, nothing ever seemed to work.

"S—sal...?"

Henry laid on the couch, red-faced from intoxication and a complete mess. Sal sighed and walked over.

"Let's get you to bed Dad."

He helped him up to his feet, slowly but steadily leading him to his bedroom. He gently set him on his bed.

"Get some sleep, I'll be out with friends."

His father groaned, holding his head in his hands. Sally felt a wave of pity, he looked as if he were about to cry. He briskly grabbed a glass of water and the bottle of Asprin and placed it on his nightstand. "I'll be gone pretty much all night, so if you need anything else you'll have to wait." Sal sighed when he got no response. The blue-haired boy turned to leave, closing the door on the way out.

"Sal?"

He paused. "Yes?"

"I love y—you, son."

"...Love you too, Dad."

He shut the door, ignoring the tightness in his chest. Gizmo, his cat, wrapped around his legs, looking up adoringly at Sal. He let out a soft chuckle and bent down to scratch his chin. "Be a good boy and watch Dad for me, won't you Gizmo?" The orange tabby chirped in happily, so he took that as a yes. He quickly collected the CD from his room and left, locking the door on his way out. His head buzzed as he took the elevator down.

"What took so long?"

Sal didn't immediately answer as he walked around to the two-door truck. Ash was in the front seat beside Larry. "Nuh uh, get your ass in the back." She stuck her tongue out at him, keeping the door locked.

"Who says I have to listen to you? You're the smallest!"

"We're the same height! And it's my trip so I get shotgun."

Larry shook his head exasperatedly. "We won't be there by midnight if you two keep bickerin', My truck so I say get your ass in the back Ash."

Sal cheered as she crawled in the back of the truck. It had four seats, but only two doors and the cab was rather small for four people. Thankfully only Todd and Larry had any real size to the group. "That's unfair," Ash teased, "You only chose him because you have a—"

Sal had never seen Larry move so quick in his life. He slapped his hand across her mouth as she dissolved into giggles. Todd sighed, rolling his eyes in amusement. "Can we go?" The blue-haired boy climbed in after giving the group a bewildered look. He slammed the door shut and clipped on his seat belt.

"Road trip! Road trip!"

He and Ash chanted as they pulled out of the driveway, excitement easing his misgivings about his father. Or, at least it was.

"So _what_ took so long?" Larry asked after they had quieted down. Sally sighed, resting his arm against the open window. Lights blurred by in a dizzying array, Nockfell was always at its best during the night. Soft buzzing orange lights and the quiet hum of old cars making their way home. It was soothing and thrilling at the same time.

"Dad got drunk again, so I helped him to bed."

Soft murmurs of sympathy filled his ears, but they did little to relax him. "Nevermind that, let's listen to this sweet ass CD." Sal quickly popped the disc into Larry's radio and cranked up the dial. Three Days Grace blared from the speakers.

"Really? I thought you'd have Sainty's Fall or something?"

Larry and Sal exchanged an annoyed glance. "You specifically asked for us to pick something else, Ash!"

"Oh did I? Oops!"

Todd and Sal started laughing at Ashley's giggling. She was hyper from the excitement of the trip, which was pretty normal for her. It was quite entertaining at times, watching her laugh maniacally at the smallest things. Larry facepalmed, chuckling as well. "Are you high already?"

"What? No! Why would I be?"

"'Cause you sound like a fuckin' airhead."

They all broke out into louder laughter now, and Sal could feel the tension ease off of him again. The rest of the ride was filled with snarky jokes and loud singing. He couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun, the last time he had felt so _free_.

"That's the last Gas Station, Larry, we should stop."

Sal pointed out a dingy gas station on the last street that was considered within the town limits. It looked run down, rather sad actually. Red paint flaked off the building where dirty white paint wasn't. The windows were completely covered in dust, it was impossible to see into them through the bars that prevented them from being shattered.

But it would work.

Larry slowed and turned into the drive while Sal dug into his bag, extracting his wallet. "Ash, you're paying for snacks." He threw over his shoulder, tugging a 20 free. He gave a look towards Larry, motioning at the 20.

"This good enough?"

Larry nodded sheepishly. "Yeah— thanks, man, I just didn't—"

"Shut up, my trip, so I pay for gas."

Sal held out his hand, feeling Ashley place cash in it. He ignored her grumbling and stepped out of the truck. He made sure his mask was firmly secured and walked up to the dirt-caked door, swinging it open. The inside of the store was as pitiful as the outside, dimly lit and filthy floors. The faint smell of burnt bread made him cough. A head of dark gray hair caught his eye, the cashier popping in at the sign of noise. Sal was pleased when no barbed comments or fearful glances about his mask were made.

"20 on pump 3, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks. I'll be back."

He counted the money Ash had handed him, "10..., 15, 17." The blue-haired boy nodded to himself and started grabbing various junk food. Oreos, pretzels, cheese crackers, trail mix, and a tiny bag of chocolate Kisses. Satisfied, he moved towards the fridges, examining the selection of drinks. He decided to grab iced tea for Todd, a Monster for Larry and ash, and a Sprite for himself. He carried his bulky load to the register, setting everything down with a huff. The cashier remained silent as he rang it all up.

"That'll be 13.47."

"Here, have a good night."

"Thanks, you too."

He watched as the older woman gathered his things into bags, swiftly taking them into his own hands and pushing the door open. Sal was ready to call out to his friends when pieces of their conversation carried over to him.

"...my shampoo, my clothes..." Was that Larry?

"...just confess...get it..." And Ash?

"No...can't...if I didn't know...he was doin' it on purpose..."

Sally felt as if his chest had been stomped on. Had he been making Larry uncomfortable all this time? It had taken him ages to be so relaxed around the brunet, and he had always seemed happy with the smaller one's progress, but had he ever really stopped to ask him? He felt weak. To prevent any of the bags slipping out of his hands, he passed them into the truck, handing them off to Todd. The redhead looked horrified, trying to desperately get the others attention.

"Ash, Ashley, _Ash_!"

"What the hell Todd— _Oh, oh no_ —" Ash looked equally panicked, reading Sal's body language. "Sally, how much did you hear?"

The blue-haired boy didn't answer her, he instead sought out Larry's eyes, looking for some sort of confirmation of what he thought. The brunet appeared ill, face flushed and eyes wide. "Do I bother you? Erm, like by crossing boundaries?" His voice was soft with dismay. Sally missed Ash and Todd collectively sighing in relief. Larry, on the other hand, frowned deeply.

"No dude, that's not— I didn't mean anything like that!"

"What did you mean then?"

Larry seemed to have shut down, words spilling out incoherently. He made a face beneath his mask, glancing at Ashley for a translation.

"He uh, we were talking about, uhm—"

Todd cut her off, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"Larry gets flustered easily, you know that, and lately you've been doing so well in terms of recovering and being open with him, he's happy. Just a bit too happy. Does that make sense?"

 _No._ Sally bit back the thought and studied Todd's face. He searched for some tell-tale sign he was lying but came up empty. His eyes darted to Larry, who was nodding fervently. If he was being lied to, he had no way of telling. He let out a silent breath and nodded. "Okay, if you're sure. Did you fill the truck up?"

"Wha— Oh yeah I did." Larry seemed to relax, scratching the back of his neck. "What'd you get me to drink?" Sal tugged open the truck door and climbed into his seat. He buckled the seatbelt, stretching. "Monster. Got you Oreos too."

"Aw yeah! You're the best!"

He hummed in response, watching as Larry closed the gas tank and got in the driver's seat. He was trying to believe Todd, he really was. But something didn't sit right. Why had the others freeze if it was just that? Why bother hiding it at all? The black truck roared to life, and the gang was once again on their way. His gaze was cloudy and unfocused as the last of the city lights blurred by. Maybe he had been too obvious with his feelings, he could see that making anyone uncomfortable. Especially considering how Sally's face looked. He didn't even hear Larry talking to him until he felt a sharp poke on his side.

"Ow— fuck, what?"

"Stop zonin' out, I was askin' a question."

He shot an annoyed look at the brunet.

"Doesn't mean you get to _bruise_ me. What'd you ask?"

"Do you even know what we're lookin' for?"

Sal stared at him. "Haven't I told you?"

"Kinda? You just said 'clues'."

"Well, that's 'cause that's all I know. I feel like somethin's out there. Anythin' to do with the Church or, obviously, the Cult."

This time, it was Todd who spoke up. "Is this another one of your 'intense feelings', as you called it?"

Sal shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I'm sure it sounds dumb, but—"

"Not at all! It's quite fascinating actually! All humans have a sense of danger, but yours seems to extend beyond that. You seem to be able to pinpoint where 'energy' of sorts is. At school, you had a feeling telling you to go, and someone or something certainly wanted you there! That's so fucking cool!"

Sally listened to him ramble, faintly amused by the pained look on Ash's face. Beyond the crushed feeling he had in his chest, he could sense unease growing. He prayed that he wasn't leading his friends into that type of danger. He could feel himself tugging on his hair subconsciously.

"You okay?" Beside him, he could see Larry give a sidelong glance.

"Yeah, just thinkin'."

"You aren't upset about earlier still, are you?" Sal didn't reply at first, listening to Ash and Todd argue loudly in the back. They'd be distracted for a bit.

"Yeah, I mean, I can tell that wasn't the whole truth."

Larry drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, searching for a way to explain. "You're kinda right, but it's not because you make me _uncomfortable_. Everything you do makes me feel the opposite actually."

"What do I do?"

"I, uh, like the way you're chill around me. That's gotta take a lot of trust. Or the way you don't mind sharing everything—"

Sal interrupted, "Like clothes n' stuff?"

Larry nodded, "Like clothes n' stuff. Or just, you know, seein' you smile, as sappy as it sounds. It really does make me happy, just not in a way I can explain...?"

He blinked in confusion. That didn't really make much more sense. Why couldn't he explain? "Why? You even sounded annoyed."

"Yeah, but annoyed at myself. It's a bit embarrassin', dude. N' I dunno dude, I'm just not good at words?"

Sally exhaled, dispelling the disarray in his body. Larry sounded a considerable bit more heartfelt than Todd had. Icy relief crashed over him, not unlike water being poured down his back. He trusted Larry, at least understanding the 'not good at words' bit. The blue-haired boy leaned towards the back, deftly dodging a swat from Ash aimed at Todd. Sal pulled the bag of Oreos to his lap. He tore open the packaging, holding one out for Larry. The brunet didn't hesitate, leaning forward and biting it.

"'Hanks!" He mumbled.

Sally smiled and unclipped his prosthetic, popping one into his own mouth. Ash and Todd were still bantering. It felt, at least a tad bit, normal again. "You two done yet?"

Ash shot him a dirty look. "Says the lovebirds feeding each other."

Sal choked on his cookie, face reddening. So much for normality.

"Sorry! Did you want him to take his hands off the wheel for a few cookies?" He hissed back.

"Stop messin' around, we're here." Larry huffed, turning the wheel and driving the truck down the gravel-paved road leading to the lake. Sal momentarily forgot his embarrassment. His eyes lit up as the lake came into sight. An ethereal fog circled around it, not quite over the lake, and the moonlit water made everything around glow. The woods rustled with the wind, but otherwise, it was silent. It was beautiful.

"Oh...! It's so cool!" Sally voiced his thoughts, mask pressing against the glass. He moved to unbuckle his seatbelt. "Let's go look!" In his excitement, he forgot himself and eagerly launched out the truck. The blue-haired boy raced to the other side and opened Larry's door, grabbing his hand and pulling him out.

"C'mon! You're so slow!"

"S-sally!"

He tugged him down to the shore. A delighted smile hid underneath his prosthetic as they reached the edge. "I don't think I've seen it look so calm!" With Larry's hand still in his grasp, he leaned down and glided his fingertips across the surface of the water. It rippled away in a smooth pattern. "Ah! It's like liquid glass!"

He glanced back to Larry, his excitement slowly dying down when the brunet said nothing. His dark eyes seemed to reflect the stars themselves, but they were only looking at him. "Well? What do you think? Isn't it pretty?"

"You're right, you're pretty." He said breathlessly. Sal ignored the happy shock coursing through his body. He must've misspoken.

"Sally, can we talk? When we get back home?" Larry tightened his hand around the blue-haired boy's. He felt his heart drum madly in his chest, mutely nodding. The way he was looking at him, the way he held his hand... No, Larry already had his eye on someone. Still, he couldn't shake off the hopeful butterflies, no matter how much he reasoned.

"Do you plan on using us as mules? Come get your fucking bags!" Ash and Todd were lumbering their way down to the shore, struggling with the boy's backpacks. Sal yelped and jumped apart from Larry. He missed the disappointed gleam in his friend's eyes.

"Comin'! Look at the lake!"

Hiding his embarrassment, he gestured widely at the reflective water. Ashley gave a happy squeal and dug out her camera. As Sally and Larry put on their backpacks, she raced down and snapped as many photos as possible. Todd looked faintly amused at her excitement.

"Well, even if we find nothing, this seems to be worth it. I never thought Lake Wendigo could look so peaceful."

Sal nodded his head in agreement. During the day, the lake was shrouded by heavy fog and the waters were turbulent. The gang enjoyed it for its solitary, or even ice skating when the weather turned cold, but never for its view. "We'll have to come back," He declared, "This is perfect! Imagine sliding on the ice when it looks like this!"

The boys watched as Ashley climbed back up the slope, eyes shining. "I hope my photos came out okay, in this light its hard to tell." She showed them the photographs, but as she mentioned they were unseeable due to the dark. She tucked them away and looked expectantly at Sally. "Okay, where to Sal?"

He hummed, eyes searching the dense forest. "Let's just wander around, I think I remember seeing paths leading in." Sal took lead, brushing by the thick undergrowth. He bit the inside of his cheek as he looked around.

"Over here!" Larry called to him a little ways off, standing on well-trodden earth. Any sort of weeds or grasses had been smashed into the dirt eons ago by the looks of it. "Nice! Compass at the ready?" Sally turned to Todd, who nodded in confirmation. They really weren't looking to get lost in the forest, and seeing as it was so tightly packed with trees, it'd be hard to find their way back otherwise.

"Yes! Let's explore!"

Sal was pumped, he loved the dark gloom in the trees. He adored the chirping and hissing of strange forest animals as they passed by. He loved the ominous howling of the wind. To put it frankly, this was his _shit_. He had fallen in love with creepy stuff long ago, after being compared to it for so long. Halloween was even his favorite holiday, no one stared at him as if he were an escaped serial killer. He was just an over-eager kid then. Now, he was getting to live out a horror trope. How fucking cool is that?

He fell in pace alongside Todd, striking up a conversation. "Do you remember me explaining the ' _infection_ ' to you?"

Todd looked pleased as if he were eager to talk about this. "Yes, it was very interesting."

"Do you think its caused by a contaminated area? Like, say a whole apartment being capable of infection?"

"No," He shook his head, "It would something to pass energy through. Seeing as it is caused by some sort of paranormal activity, I believe it would have to pass through an object to manifest in any way. For example, a key could be 'contaminated', but air cannot be."

Sal nodded, seeing the sense in his words. "What about walls? Or carpet, I mean, they're technically an object."

Todd's eyebrows furrowed in thought, mulling over what Sal had said. "Its a possibility, but the spirit would have to be immensely powerful to do so. That's a shit-ton of energy."

He sighed, shoving his hands into his hoodie. "Like a demon summoned by a cult to destroy everything?"

The redhead gave him a sympathetic pat. "We'll figure it out the solution, Sally."

"No pressure or anything, right?"

Todd laughed, and they fell silent. Sal was suddenly thankful he brought warm clothing as a heavy wind whisked by, stinging at his ears and nearly pulling off his beanie. Over the howl, he could hear Larry and Ash, who were a few feet in behind of them.

Larry placed his hands on the back of his head, clearly as content in the woods as Sal. "Y'know, I've been workin' on this piece for the last week, but I can't decide on the right shades. You should come over, you're always better at that sorta thing than me."

"Oh really?" Ash asked curiously. "What's it look like?"

"It's a sunset framed by leaves. Sally showed a spot to me just like it, the idiot climbed up on the treehouse." Despite his harsh words, his tone was warm with fondness. "It was awesome up there, and I never even knew it existed."

The blue-haired boy felt a pair of eyes bore into the back of his head.

"Sal fucking Fisher!"

He exchanged a look with Todd. "Remember me."

"You lied! You said he wasn't up there!"

He threw his hands up defensively. "He wasn't when you called!"

But it was too late. Ash flung her bag at Todd and started chasing after him. Sally threw his own backpack at Larry, who caught it easily. "This is your fault!" He yelled accusingly before dashing into the trees. A rush of adrenaline raced through his body as he turned back to see Ashley hot on his heels. He let out an exhilarated laugh, his face split into a wide grin beneath his mask. He heard a faint "Hang on!" from Larry, but nothing could stop him right now.

The pair raced through the tree, neatly dodging roots and undergrowth. "C'mon Ash, aren't you the taller one?" He taunted.

"I ran track for two years! Do you really think you can outrun me? I'm just pacing myself!"

"Excuses, Excuses!"

Sal could hear her speed up, now only being a few feet behind him. He was ready to mock her again when the scenery shifted around him. They had broken into a clearing where no trees grew. In the middle laid a graveyard. Tombstones glowed in the bright moonlight, all the same uniform cross shape, weathered away by time. But that wasn't what made him stop. The air felt colder, and he could feel the dark _energy_ like from 504. Sal skidded to a stop, heart pounding in his chest for more than one reason.

"Hah! Got you!" In his shock, he had forgotten what he was running from. Ash grabbed him by the waist as she leaped at him, wrestling him to the ground. He landed mask first. Sal winced as dirt was flung up into his eyes and the mask digging into his cheeks certainly didn't help.

"Admit defeat!"

"Okay, fuck, you win! Get your ass off of me!"

Ash easily let him up and he rubbed the soil out of his eyes. Sal huffed, squinting at her.

"Rude."

She shrugged and helped him up to his feet. "Whatever, how deep in the forest do you think we are? It's fucking freezing."

Sal glanced around. "This is it. This is the place." This had to be what he was looking for, what else would a graveyard be doing in the middle of a forest? The blue-haired boy lifted his mask and cupped one hand around his mouth. "LARRY! TODD! OVER HERE!"

He heard faint yelling in the distance.

Exchanging a look with Ash, they cautiously began walking through the rows of graves. There were no engravings on the tombstones. The earth was as solid as a brick as well, nothing had been disturbed here in ages. "Careful, don't touch anything." He warned, remembering his talk with Todd. She nodded, uncharacteristically serious. They were silent as they made their way.

Any other time, Sal would've been overjoyed at the discovery, but the heavy air had him clenching his jaw.

Leaves rustled behind them.

They both spun, tense and ready to fight. He suddenly wished he had his bag, he had a decent sized pocket knife in there. Just in case.

"Finally! Do you know how far off the path we are?" Todd panted, dropping Ash's bag at her feet. Sally relaxed, relief washing over him.

"Sorry, but look! This is the place!"

Sal motioned towards the area around them. Larry handed him his bag. "This is fuckin' awesome, it feels creepy."

He let out a breathless laugh. "Yeah, doesn't it remind you of 504? Don't touch anything, I don't know if this place is infected."

Both Todd and Larry nodded, the significance of their mission settling on them. Sal slung his backpack on his shoulders, ready to turn and explore again when Ash let out a terrified shriek. He turned.

The white wolf from his vision was standing above them.

The color drained from his face as Larry shoved him back, standing in front of him protectively. Ashley hid right next to him, and Todd stood beside Larry, though he looked equally as scared. The visions from before raced through his mind. He let out a pathetic whimper remembering the vicious way his friends and family had lost their lives.

It was Larry who spoke first. "What do you want?"

The wolf didn't move, amber eyes watching them intently.

Todd was the first to try to leave. "Let's just back away..." He spoke slowly as if any sudden movement would send the beast into a frenzy.

Unfortunately, the wolf seemed to have other ideas. Tall, spiked fences shot up through the ground like a nail piercing flesh. They were caged in. The white canine sat down, neatly wrapping its tail around its paws. Its eyes seemed to stare through Larry at the cowering blue-haired boy.

"Fuck, fuck fuck fuck." Sal tugged harshly at his hair, fear coursing through him. It wanted him. Of course it did. He was absolutely petrified, but the idea of his friends being _killed_ because of him sent him stumbling forwards. "I'm so sorry, don't hurt them!"

"Sally! No!"  
"Sal!"  
"Stop!"

He ignored the cries of horror, he ignored every instinct telling him to run, he ignored everything and staggered in front of the wolf. "What do you w—want?" His voice was no more than a whisper.

The beast seemed pleased, lowering its head to the forest floor. Sal simply stared. It used its snout to push away the leaf-molded dirt and expose _something_. It gleamed in the moonlight, slowly pulsing with its own faint radiance.

"Is t—that... A gem?"

Keeping his eyes trained on the animal, he slowly lowered his hand down to grab the jewel. The wolf growled angrily, shaking its head. It spoke no words, but the message was clear as day in his mind.

_Do not touch._

Shaking with panic, he stumbled back a few paces. It fixed its gaze on him again, waiting patiently.

"A—Ash, your scarf, h—hand it here."

"Are you fucking crazy? Don't go near that thing!"

Sally would've loved nothing more than to run as far as possible, but there was a problem with that. "We're trapped! Just hand it here!" He held his hand out, not daring to take his gaze away. He felt a pinprick of relief when soft fabric hit his hands without another word from her.

"Sal, be careful, please," Larry begged. Any response burned up in his throat, he instead proceeded to timidly step back up to the wolf. He wrapped his hand in the scarf and scooped up the gem, ready to bolt away if the canine moved at all. It did nothing.

As soon as he held them gemstone in his hand, the white wolf, the fencing, and the awful dark aura in the air vanished. It was as if the weight of a car had been lifted on them. Sal dropped to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"F—fuck...!" He sobbed, allowing himself to cry now. The others rushed to him.

"Hey, you're okay. It's gone now." Larry knelt beside him, pulling him to his chest. He cried, fear still shaking him to his core. Ash soothingly rubbed his back and Todd placed a firm hand on his shoulder. It took longer than he was willing to admit to catch his breath.

"I'm okay now..." He murmured, pulling away from their touch. Everyone stood up and looked around, taking in the change of scenery. With the darkness that reminded him of his visions gone, the graveyard suddenly appeared much more cared for than he previously thought. Perhaps someone had been here recently?

"May I take a closer look at that jewel?" Todd spoke up, rubbing his glasses with his shirt. Sal mutely nodded and carefully passed it over. "Don't unwrap it." He mumbled, watching as both he and Ash inspected it closely.

Larry grabbed him by the shoulders, staring down at him. "What the fuck were you thinking?" He whispered fiercely.

"I thought it was going to hurt you guys! This was my dumb idea! Why should anyone else get hurt?" He hissed back. Sal didn't want to argue in the middle of an icy forest, but he wouldn't let Larry think he _wanted_ to go up to the beast. A chilled wind bit at the wet skin under his mask as he spoke. He lifted it and wiped at his face.

"Still, what would we have done if you got hurt? What would _I_ have done? That's the second time this month you've been in serious danger!"

"Do you think I'm having fun? That I want this?"

Larry suddenly drooped, his arms wrapping around Sal again. "No," he mumbled, "I just, I was _scared_ for you, dude. No more heroics?"

"No more heroics." He promised, but an uneasy sensation washed up in his throat. He had a feeling that wasn't a promise he could keep.

"Guys look, there's some writing scratched in on the gem." Ash's voice caught his attention. Curiously although hesitantly, he looked over the gemstone.

It was flat and cut squarely with a sharp green emerald color. Inscribed on it was:

_Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing._

"Isn't that—" he started, face contorted in confusion.

"The same verse hanging above the Church's front doors? Yes." Todd finished grimly.

A brief silence filled the air, ideas swarming in their heads before Larry spoke up. "Anyone up to breakin' into the church tonight?"

Sal felt his jaw drop.

"Oh thank god, I thought I was going to have to say it," Ash said with relief.

"It does seem like the next logical place to continue our search," Todd added, nodding along.

"Hold the fuckin' phone, you guys wanna still chase this shit with me?" Sal felt like his mind was fried, how could they be so willing to dive headfirst into danger again? "After all of that?"

Ash gave him an equally sympathetic and exasperated look. "This is as real of proof as it gets, the Cult is back. How would this scare us off? We've seen a freezer full of _human meat_ together Sal. Not to mention but you going on your own is out if question. You don't exactly seem to have any sort of self-preservation. Why wouldn't we go?"

He let out a dry noise that resembled a chuckle. "I guess you're right." He sighed, reading their stubborn expressions. "Fine, let's go break into the Church. But I'm sleepin' on the way there, and if one of you wake me i'll personally murder you." He said tiredly.

They all cheered, clearly not as shaken as Sal was. Then again, if he had to pick his biggest fear, a giant wolf would definitely be on his top 10. Still, he could see some anxiety etched into their faces, but he was sure it was because of Sally's actions, not the wolf itself. It was kind of heartwarming, in a twisted way.

Sal in the front, he began to lead them back to the lake, a newfound determination settling in. He could, no, he _would_ match his friend's strength. If they were ready he was ready.

"Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was much more fun to write, thankfully. A lot of it has to do with your guy's support! Honestly, thank you from the bottom of my heart! All the kind words mean the world to me!
> 
> So Sal is trying to be brave huh? Even after confronting one of his biggest fears? How do you think that's gonna turn out for him? What does the gem have to do with all of this? I'd love to hear what you guys think!
> 
> Also, should I start tagging my Instagram here? I feel kinda silly just doing so, but if you guys wanted to ever show me stuff concerning Dizzy, or just talk, I'd be happy to give it out.
> 
> As always, thank you all for reading! <3


	6. Update

I'm so so sorry chapter six is taking so long. I honestly thought it would be done by now. However, my mom was hit by a car (she's okay!) And I have been taking care of her. Thus, chapter six has been on hold for a while. I am currently working on it, and as you can see I have updated the title and summary of this fic (i think they fit better.) Chapter six will be coming out soon, hopefully sometime this week. It might not be the best thing I write, but I hope it'll satisfy everyone until i get into the hang of things again! Thank you all so much for being patient <3


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